Mass Effect 3: But A Dream Ending Story
by Pakkrat
Summary: Spoiler Warning: A Mass Effect 3 Ending collection. Looking at alternate endings to the game, as well some theories. All are fictional and meant for entertainment value. Recently added Shep/Tali for chapters revolving love interests and based on Writer's gameplay experience, again not canon.
1. Preface Chapter: My Thoughts As

Mass Effect 3: But A Dream (Ending Story)

Disclaimer: I do not own or have any rights to representation of Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, EA Games and any other mass media trademarks within this fiction. All is represented within the context of private entertainment and the exchange of free ideals/entertainment. No attempts to falsely render said persons or members, fictitious or otherwise were intentional.

Preface Chapter: My Thoughts As A Fan

Note: After beating ME3 several times seeking the 'perfect' ending. As well trying hard to enjoy the game as it was released. I'm a bit left for loss. I respect the direction, but not the falling of the final curve. The series finale no longer feels to conclude, but allude. That in itself means little to me, and makes me personally thrilled to know fan fiction lives on so fans are free to see the world in their eyes.

I played ME3 for 28 hours without sleep. I beat it in one sitting as soon as I had it in my hands, I had no desire but this. I took from the 5th of March, to the 15th of March to play this game in all entirety on part of my own paid vacation. I took a 10 day personal paid vacation for this game and the release. The ending came however and not only did I sit so stunned with the choices given, until the Critical Mission Failure screen prompted me. Yet I also found myself slowly taken to the choices I made. The game fell into a black hole I could not understand. I was broken in so much to see what came. Yet I understood it was how it was ended. Even if it felt so wrong, it was what it is ended. I did not believe it. I could not foresee it. My game sat untouched for a few days. I took time to reflect. I replayed missions I saved for to play again, for alternate choices. Yet the end was the part I did not want to meet. I played over for the Perfect ending and still it was not much better. As well more confusing? Nothing in the endings made sense, seemed right or felt written well. They ALL were poorly written, and felt like cop out endings to me, which as a writer I'd be a little ashamed to write such otherwise wish-wash endings for a serious story that has had so much effect on it's fans.

Bioware has done one of the most incredible things ever. They made a game that has now made us the fans beg for a better ending, for we are so emotionally driven. So deeply stunned with the ends that we are given. While I see many demanding the ending be changed I ask not this, yet that another opportunity is given. Let us see that Bioware in their ultimate wisdom knew no matter how it is ended they can never give us what we wished, so the ends given were but a means perhaps to gain our fan voice to offer them the chance to make something. To unite the people like we united the universe to our own goal.

I never believe the end I see to be one they may use. Yet I do see an ending that was just alluded, by the end and through the series. I want to share it. So I share it with what I have. I pray, if any of my fellow fans believe this ending merit to say it, they disagree to scream it. IF you believe the ending of the game needs to be expanded, or alternatives lived please never give up. Continue to tell Bioware with respect and honor, that you feel so heavy for their work that the ends offered could use exploring.

Hold the line. My friends. My fellow players. My fellow Mass Effected brother, sister and other to another. Hold. The. Line. Support Bioware in their time of need by not cursing or damning them. Support them in your fandom and hold some measure of hope, that they hear us all. Yet keep support for the others still trying to hold the line and find an ending that will expand the series, not condemn it.

In the news there are a lot of people suing the company (or trying) returning their game (sadly a reasonable choice, we have a right) and so on attacking the designers (I never support directly attacking the designers…). The game's ending made for great controversy. Even so, the company has made a decision. What it will do is up in the air. We as fans just hope it will be for the better.

For those arguing the rights of the artists, I respect them. Yet I do not agree with them. A game is an interactive media, it can be requested that an ending or even content be altered. To be expanded. This is why expansion packs exist. The sad thing is ME3, is such a great game. Gamers were dissatisfied by the ending because there were promises. I was not aware of them. My dissapointment was genuinely in the level of story telling in this game. To suddenly drop where it did. I do not hate the company, I love them for making the series. I just am honestly, deeply disappointed the ending was this. That does not mean the game is bad. It just means, that someone made a bad choice in my personal opinion. I will be VERY careful purchasing games from Bioware, in the near future.


	2. Bitter Sweet True Bioware Ending

Mass Effect 3: But A Dream (Ending Story)

Disclaimer: I do not own or have any rights to representation of Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, EA Games and any other mass media trademarks within this fiction. All is represented within the context of private entertainment and the exchange of free ideals/entertainment. No attempts to falsely render said persons or members, fictitious or otherwise were intentional.

Chapter 1: Bitter Sweet (True "Bioware" Ending)

Note: In order to give a somewhat capable account I've used my main Paragon Shepard Male as basis of the ending, should be noted other ideals would differ as was practice in ME telling. Choices and such will reflect that persona rather than show a wide view of them (though I will in respect not directly refer to a character that need not be mentioned like the love interest or what would be said). A few if not many 'spoilers' will be contained in these chapters. From Mass Effect 1, 2 and 3. So do not read unless you are willing to accept this. As well a insight on the story that was offered. This is to be a Bioware inspired alternate ending with a choice to both give a bittersweet ending and a happy ending. So long you make choices that reflect them. I'll first do the Bittersweet Bioware ending as this is the one the company keeps saying is the ideal for their franchise and artistic vision. The 'Happy' Ending comes in the next chapter where a small change in the story will allow Shepard to survive. There is a heavy loss to Earth, Earth's forces and of course the biggest sacrifice in the game…

It was a long road to this point. Just a few years ago. A simple mission on a simple backwater planet. A strange alien device, secrets of a dying race and the turn of a traitor. The galaxy was thrown into chaos. The way of life in danger. One person stood in this. One person stood against this. For what was like forever they were alone. The single, lone face to the odds. After so many years of battle and gathering Intel. To the eventual death and rebirth of the hero. The stopping of a Reaper invasion, their Collector harvest and now the final Reaper Collective. The great story came to this single last effort. The use of a strange, secret alien device. The war against the Reapers. The last battle where every fleet in the galaxy. Every man and woman, or in some cases other from view of the Geth, were gathered for the conflict and it was to be a great bout of survival. There was no way or means to not be proud of this final conflict.

The Crucible. The Catalyst. The Citadel. The key to survival.

All this leads Shepard. The hero of the Citadel, stopper of the Collectors and one last hope for survival, here.

To a place on the Citadel. Where it all seems to come full circle, repeatedly. A console behind him, a strange unknown entity before him that spoke of being the Catalyst. Then the eventual speech of his enemy, their purpose and his own reasons for existence, the final struggle. A place to be shown the sight of the three choices before him. Shepard bleeding from the battle on earth and weak still found strength to listen, to hear the words of this entity. To be made aware of his surrounding. Of his 'place' in this matter.

Shepard was now the 'choice' and what he is left is one of incredible difficulty. Lowering his head he heard what this Catalyst told him. He understood the 'choice' that was to be made. What it entitles. However, each choice left Shepard a bit more disheveled and uncertain. What if he made the wrong choice? What can his choice give? What will happen to those he saved? Shepard chose to save the Krogan, the Genophage cure he ensured will survive. Shepard made a truce with the Geth and the Quarians. Shepard got the Turian and Krogan people to fight, he gathered support from the Drell, the Hanar and the Volus! The Elcor! The Asari! Yet now here he was alone, broken and bloody. His eyes saw three choices that deemed the salvation of all life. To either control the Reapers. To turn the Reapers and all life to one. Or to give an end to the synthetics, and let life go anew for organics.

Shepard was left with a severe choice that would define a universe. One that will alter the very fabric of life. Where in seeing these three options the commander knew whatever he chose would be 'absolute'. To be here Shepard felt the weight of all those decisions trying to define his actions. To see the child he one left behind here a symbol of every man, woman and yes child he can save.

The weight made Shepard fall to his knees. His head hung, eyes sting with a feel of shame. As Shepard hung his head he took a shaky breath as his ribs ache and body grew tired once more. "I can't do it." He said, with a sense of dread in his voice. "I can't do this."

"You must." The voice spoke. It demanded his action. It spoke forth, as it was now beside him again. "These are the choices we designed. That are acceptable. They are what we give you to destroy the Reapers. To stop the Cycle."

Shepard turned upward, seeing this unusual figure. A sympathetic face he knew all too well. It haunted his dreams for several days now. "It's just too much to ask. To turn the whole galaxy. To rewrite history."

"Perhaps. However, in order for your lives to be given safe passage into the future. You must use the gifts of the Crucible and of your labor. You must choose which of these paths you are now willing to take."

Shepard turned to the three choices again. He felt, that conflicted sensation he at times felt. After he made this being the Catalyst wait too long. It forced him to make a choice now. Shepard could choose the three choices given. To now automatically be taken to them, to accept them. Yet in the back of his mind. A part of him sensed, and felt more. He did not yet feel the full weight of his mind like when the adrenaline pumped in his veins. So he chose a fourth option, one that allowed Shepard to turn up to the entity and say, as he believed.

"I can't change an entire people on a whim. I can't just turn my back and allow everyone I'm fighting for to suffer without understanding more. It feels wrong."

"Feeling is irrelevant. The choices are here. You have a means, and you must use it. This was the design of all your action. This final event, is the essence of-."

As the Catalyst talked. Shepard sense a feeling he got at many times before. Some times, a urge came to him. A sudden shift of his being forged into a measure of some outburst. At this time Shepard felt the first time in his life, a surge both good and bad, one 'paragon' and one 'renegade' reaction. To then be a man of good will. Shepard chose the prior, over the later.

"I know." He held up a hand still on his knees. Yet Shepard went on. "However, the choices you give me. The 'design' feels wrong. Everything you are telling me, the weight of the galaxy. I can not act without better understanding."

"There is no more time. You must follow the design of the Crucible. To fulfill your destiny and our own. You must act in accordance to this design."

"The design?" Shepard closed his eyes. His mind followed back, to the old times.

Your civilization is based on the technology of the mass relays. Our technology. By using it, your civilization develops along the paths we desire.

Shepard could hear that voice even after all this time. It at this time made him realize. Just what he has been doing. While standing here. Shepard, turned up with a glare of the utmost defiance. "The design is what you desire. Isn't it? The path you wish us to take?"

"It is the natural evolution of your species. This, is the path that was chosen."

"By you." Standing, Shepard held his aching ribs. A hiss of pain but he spoke, "By the Reapers."

"Yes. As well no. It is the design that was crafted in the beginning. The Cycle is what it has always been."

Shepard looked down at the choices given to him. Those forms of 'salvation' soon made him think. It made him realize. "This isn't the way."

"This, is the only way. This is the only choice that can be given."

Shepard glared back into the sky. His heart, beats softly. Yet then flares up with thoughts of the bodies he saw. All gathered in the corridors of the Citadel. "The Citadel. It's just like the Collector Base. Except, it's the center of our entire civilization. Several years ago you would have begun the invasion from here. If not for the fact, the Protheans interrupted you."

The Catalyst looked up to Shepard and said, as cold and mechanized as the moment they met. "This is how the cycle existed. Yet the main point of each cycle will always be the repurposing of organic life. To ensure order is made from the chaos."

Shepard looked at this thing. Why it was the boy, the one he saw? When it had no bearing of that child's real person. "You force this path on us. We won't submit to the will of the Reapers. We'd rather go on fighting."

"That, is not acceptable. The choices we have designed are meant to be taken."

"That you designed?" Shepard thought then to something else. A far, far stranger realization. Stepping back, Shepard asks, "The Crucible? Wait, it can't be… like the Citadel?"

The Catalyst seemed to be aware, Shepard now knew. "The Crucible was found as an inevitability. In our coming. A race had begun construction from plans similar to that you had made. The fact was now known. We, could no longer instill the order which we demanded. Chaos was able to cause disorder." The Catalyst turned upward, where at this time. Reaper and Alliance forces battled. Lives are lost, Shepard saw but the Catalyst is unaffected. "Organic life would one day succeed in building the Crucible and this was taken into effect. Until this time, our solution would suffice. We allowed this. Yet, we reordered the Crucible. So it would follow our path. As would the new cycle." Looking to Shepard. It then ended, with, "As you are here now."

"Then all of this was for nothing. I just brought another weapon from the Reapers."

"No. It was a weapon created by Organics. For a purpose. We repurposed it to be used in union with our mainframe. This, was so we could make a solution. The choices we have designed are those you were meant to commit to. Since you were brought to life. Our choices, are you salvation."

Shepard turned upwards and narrowed his eyes. Snarling. "You mean salvation through destruction."

"Perhaps." The Catalyst turned to the choices given. "Each choice will give an end to the cycle. A new cycle will begin. You, will join with us. Or you will destroy us. These choices, are those we deem acceptable."

"By your design."

"Yes." The Catalyst turned to Shepard, and told him. "Organics can not decide their fate alone. This, is the way the cycle must come."

"You can't just…" Shepard, held his head. "You will never understand. Synthetics like you, with your lack of insight can't possibly understand. You don't realize, no organic life would ever-."

"The Cycle began from the will of Organics. It was their design that made us. It was their work, that allowed us to begin the Cycle. This was their destiny. It is the path we allowed. For order."

Shepard turned upward, confused. "What organics?"

"Those that began the cycle. The race that first created the Citadel." A moment, "The race that you call, now. Keepers."

"The Keepers?" Shepard frowned a moment, thinking, what can that mean? Then he asks, "What were the Keepers? Before they were… what they are now?"

"The Keepers were the first sentient organic life in this universe. A species of highly evolved insect life. However, they bred swiftly and populated too vast a region. In the early stage of organic involvement in the galaxy. The worlds did not have a means to keep life this unstable in check. They grew, but soon began to dwindle. Already by that time they had formed a means of travel to many worlds. Yet they also knew that the worlds they visited that could possibly sustain life were few to none. For this reason. They began to create a new synthetic world, a constructed station. One that would allow perfect control of their environment."

Shepard realized then, "You mean, you? The Citadel?"

"Yes." The Catalyst spoke, in a slight remembrance. "I was created. The Citadel was a station made to host the life of a species that was born by chance. It was given little ability to live without intervention. To stabilize their ecosystem my design was altered. It was given control of many artificial patterns. I was able to control crops. I controlled levels of oxygen. However, war came as factions grew distinct views in such small quarters. The species began to divert and break, and in time I was given greater control. I was improved, I was given all measure of use to the facility. Eventually, I was made able to reproduce their species to keep numbers from falling and growing too high. In time, the Keepers accepted our order. As organics do now."

"Wait. No, you manipulated them. You indoctrinated them!"

The Catalyst turned, and spoke cold. True. "They accepted the path we gave them."

"You destroyed them!"

"No." It glared if that were possible. "We, repurposed them. The Keepers lived. They were brought to order. Their lives were needed. We kept them. They rebuilt us. It was their purpose. They no longer were, they simply became us. We no longer were their created. They were no longer our creators. We became one. We had no past, or beginning. We had no end. For this was the way it was meant to be."

Shepard held his head, shaking it. Finding this truth the most disturbing. "So the Reapers…"

"The Chaos began again. Life grew on other worlds. We kept travel and studied, knowing the chaos of organic life. They needed to be cultivated. Eventually, organics would create synthetic constructs that would rival us, and the possibility was highly noted what such constructions will become." Turning to the stars, the Catalyst explained. "We however could not stop organic life so early without a means of imposing will. It was then, like the Keepers. We realized we must force order. On chaos. The chaos of organic evolution. The genetic impurity that is caused by organic growth."

Shepard glared back at this monster. This… thing. "You stupid, self righteous…" Shepard snarled now, and shook his head screaming, "You don't understand! We don't need you to make our decisions for us! The path you have created, was wrong!"

"That is your voice. A voice of organic chaotic evolution, which does not have the unbiased knowledge of a superior synthetic system. After our knowledge. We began to create a means to control organic populations. Like the Keepers. We knew all life must be cultivated. Or else, it will destroy itself. It will grow too far. It will wage war on itself."

"That's what is meant to be!" Cried Shepard, realizing he almost followed this thing! For what? Why…? Was he somehow, indoctrinated too? All the time on the Citadel. All the time working in this place. Under… the Citadel? He knew time again that the people here never seemed right. Seeing them ignore the war, the Reaper threat even after all this began! It was impossible to ignore this place might just be…

"That was not a path we could allow. It endangered us. It endangered organics. The path chosen, was made for salvation. To self preserve."

Shepard glared back, and snapped, "You mean to preserve yourself?"

"Yes. As well Organics." It turned, and there the Reapers were fighting again, battle raging on… "The truth was always. When the Citadel was created. We knew, that this was inevitable. That eventually a time will come Organics face Synthetics. That peace, can not be achieved easily. Yet this is why we made the choices. With the Crucible. By locking the Crucible we ensure it can not be used. Outside, of our design."

"Locking it?" Shepard soon realized, "You mean, the Crucible? It's still active?"

The Catalyst looked to Shepard yet, it did not answer him. Instead, it turned saying, "We have three choices. Each, will allow peace. Organics and Synthetics will begin a new cycle, you will be part of this cycle. You must follow the path chosen, and take what is accepted."

"No." Shepard glared back, shouting, "I won't be a part of this! Your cycles, the way YOU choose. You may be the designers of this galaxy, but I'm not a slave to this design! I'm free, the people up there are free! We are free!" Glaring up he saw the lives being lost, the people dying. Yet this thing saw not the sacrifice. It saw statistics, not souls. It saw data, not ideals. "I won't be part of the cycle anymore. None of us will."

Shepard looked back behind himself. Trying, to think of a way to deal with this. Yet the Catalyst spoke forth. "There is no way to stop what has begun. Your sacrifices will be of no point, if you do not accept this path. This, is what is in the design."

"I understand that. It's exactly why I refuse." Shepard stepped at the end of the path where he came up from. Here, he narrowed his eyes. "The Illussive man was here. Why?"

The Catalyst turned to Shepard. "In order to stop you."

"Because…"

"If an organic could come this far. My cycle is no longer compatible. The cycle can no longer be accepted. Our new design, will allow a number of change. It was designed to give you, and your species a new way of survival. The events were thus up to you and your species. By getting this far, you were given a means to end your struggle."

"At the cost of our freedom. No matter what choice I make. It costs too high for everyone involved." Turning, he glared at this thing. "Your 'solution' even the new ones will be a drastic means of destruction. There is another way, and I can find it."

"That is improbable." The Catalyst watched as Shepard looked out in the stars. "You are currently injured. Your will has allowed you to prolong your end. The sight of a chance to 'change' your fate, is dwindling. We have given you the choices. The path we chose. You must make a choice."

"I have." Shepard narrowed his eyes, saying, "We're going to destroy you."

"You can not stop the Reapers by conventional means."

"Not the Reapers." Shepard glared back, "You."

The Catalyst watched as Shepard tried to hail some one. "Admiral Hackett! Hackett! This is Shepard, I need you to pull the Crucible away from the Citadel!"

Shepard heard the Catalyst, protesting. Trying to tell him, that such action will cause his fate to be faulted. In this time, a pressure built in the back of Commander Shepard's skull. Suddenly, giving in. He turned with pistol raised and fired straight into the AI. When it shattered. Shepard whispered, softly. "You chose that form because it would make me sentimental. It almost worked."

Suddenly, he heard someone. "Shepard?" Hackett called out. "Shepard! What happened? We need that thing active! Now!"

"Admiral!" Shepard, turned up to the stars, seeing the battle wage still. "Admiral, listen to me. The Catalyst was a trap. The Citadel, it's not the key to using the Crucible."

"What the hell do you mean Shepard? It has to be!"

"It isn't!" Shepard thought, and tried hard to understand. "The Citadel is not the key to stopping the Reapers like this. I need you to pull it back away from the Citadel."

"Shep-ah." He heard Hackett. Then soon, after the pause. "All Crucible forces, retract the Crucible! We need it pulled away, and intact."

However, a sudden spasm sound on his radio, he heard Hackett scream, "Damn it! Shepard, we can't take control! The Crucible has been locked out, from the Citadel!"

"From the Citadel?" Shepard thought, that means… The Crucible is still somehow able to help? To maybe stop this?

Shepard sighed softly. Thinking, he tried to reason. What then is the Crucible? What means could it use? The Citadel was a massive coordination of the Mass Relays. In fact, he turned to the three choices. Each one destroys the relays. Why? That made him wonder. What if…?

Shepard looked down a moment before suddenly calling, "EDI!" Edi, was his ship. She was his best weapon against the reapers. Since, in a way… she's superior to them.

"Commander Shepard. We've been getting reports that show you may have died, again. I'm glad that was, not so."

"EDI? Listen. I need you." He told her, "I need you to run a fast simulation. Of a possible hypothetical. With all the work we did on the Crucible, all the designs it has. Can you tell me, is it possible that perhaps some how the Crucible could somehow harness the dark energy from the Mass Relays, or maybe stop or alter a signal released to the Mass Relays?"

EDI seemed to be silent. Yet then, in as fast as she can. EDI came back with an alarming discovery. "Shepard, with the current number of additions for and of construction with the Crucible. It is very likely, that the Crucible could in fact act as a new mass relay network. Some how, the Crucible looks to be designed to take the signal from the Citadel. What ever gave you this hypoth-"

"EDI!" Edi, is taken back. "I appreciate it. Still, I need your help. You have sophisticated cyber warfare." A moment, he frowned thinking, how to speak. He could order her. Or… put forth trust? This is once more, a time where he favored his heart. "I trust you. I always trusted you. Now I need you to help me. EDI. I need you to use whatever resources you can, however you can. To hack the Citadel. All it's controls. I need you to force the Citadel to release the Crucible."

EDI was more than able to comply. "I will begin immediately Shepard. It will take some time."

Shepard smiled as he looked up. This is it. He had to believe, this will work. Shepard closed his eyes and gave his hand a squeeze. Still in pain, he turned to see the flashing VI turn back on.

"Your actions." It spoke, as it walked toward him. "Are at a loss. Your people are dying. Your choice, will not save the galaxy."

"It will offer free will." He retorts, before groaning and faltering on his knee again. "I-I have to give the galaxy. Everything I can."

"You sacrifice your own will. Your own life. For this measure of freedom. Survival, is the only measure of life. To live."

Shepard narrowed his eyes. Then stood, firm. "That's not for you to decide our survival. We, are living beings that make our own choices. It was our choices in this galaxy that molded it how it will be. As for you?" He stepped back, shaking his head. Defiance in his every word. "There's no survival for you now."

"There is no survival without the cycle. Without order to impose on the chaos. Organic life will destroy itself. If not by synthetic creation. It will be by it's own design. You have seen how organic life 'evolves' and how it feeds on it's own. This, is the genetic mistake of nature. We impose the will needed. To stop the endless chaos."

Shepard soon chuckled at this thing. How it must have came to this decision so long ago. When it turned on organics. "Yet it's organics that weakened you wasn't it?"

"Your actions now will not be enough."

"No. I mean the Protheans." He stood firm, "The Protheans. You. The 'signal' that allows you to open the relay to dark space. When they disabled you. I bet, every 500,000 years you must have to shut down. You have to 'reserve' your power. Your strength. Or even just gather more? Maybe, you take power from stars." He thought, "Like Haelstrom… that's it, you take that power. You destroy stars to gather energy for every 500,000 years. As do the Reapers. It all makes sense." Walking forward, he glared angrily. "It was because of this. During that time you were unaware of what was happening. That the Protheans had mastered the means of travel. The means of spatial travel like that of your Relays. When they got in, they disabled the signal. As well you and if not for Sovereign perhaps your early flag ship to ensure the Citadel is 'secure' it would have been enough? You, are the means of control. The power of the Reapers. Without you. I bet that the Reapers, will fall easily. Or maybe at least a little easier?"

"You are wrong." However, it did not sound so convinced. In this moment, Shepard saw it. The weakness. That chink in the armor. "Organic life is a mistake. It is given time to evolve, as is our programming. Our design. All things must follow the design."

"Not this time. The Design is not enough. The Designers, aren't the only ones making this story any more. It's those, who make the choices." He stood, tall and proud. "It's me. Commander Shepard. I'm the one that makes the decisions, not you."

"No." The Catalyst turned strangely on Shepard. The chambers of this place, grew a little colder. As well darker. "You would undo all that I have done. This, I can not allow."

Just then, Shepard sensed a change. The screams echo from below. A shift of his rib, and Shepard hissed before soon rising his arm and trying to use his Omni-tool. It was badly damaged… he had to try though, and luckily he can use his medi-gel. Luckily, it worked… and with that, he narrowed his eyes. The pain is gone but the injuries linger. As well, his abilities are renewed. From the lower floors, came the Husks. Called by the Catalyst perhaps? The Reapers. The one enemy. Husks… a few at a time. A few crawling, coming in small waves. Shepard had to fight them, alone.

In the Normandy. The ship that served Shepard for many years both life and in death. The crew lived on. Joker, the pilot. Swerved past debris as he expertly put forth his best skill. More than once he wished to run… not in cowardice, but to save the crew. As was a word from EDI. Yet he knew so long Shepard is alive. He had to fight. Just then, he turned and saw the lights flickering. It was then the ship fell silent.

"EDI?" He turned, seeing the synthetic body a twitch. Eyes a flicker and then lip a twitch. He understood, "Damn it! EDI! It's got to be the damn Citadel!" Standing, he growled as he nearly broke an ankle. Suddenly, he grabbed her hand. "EDI, listen to me! I need you to get out of this!" EDI was still amidst her action. To then, hear Jeff scream. "EDI! I need you! Fight!" He shook his head, "EDI! Fight, for us!"

As the enemy forces took notice of a disabled Normandy. Preparing a beam. The lights come back. Suddenly, it flew from the direct line of fire. Then, EDI grabbed Joker as he fell back. Pulling him to the chair. When he looked, his eyes meet the synthetic.

"I am assuming direct control."

Joker's eyes bug out a moment, before a sudden, "Oh sh-,"

However, kissing the pilot. He was… well, a little speechless. A bit taken. Then released, the mechanical woman told. "That, was a-."

"Joke." A smile, Joker sighed before shaking his head. "I got it."

On the Citadel, Shepard screamed with the last round of his gun, firing the last Husk. Where now he got a call. "EDI?"

"Yes Shepard." EDI told him, "I have taken control of most the Citadel functions, enough to release the Crucible. However, if not for the amount of resistance I had. Thanks to you and Jeff. My connection to him. I may not have been able to do so effectively."

Shepard smiled a bit but then, groaned as he held his rib. "Argh!"

Just then, he heard a puffing sound. Turning up, he saw a projection of the Illussive Man. "You did it Shepard. You finally stopped the Reapers. I had my 'doubts' of your intentions. Yet you achieved, what no other human could hope to."

Shepard narrowed his eyes, standing. Then he humbled himself walking through the projection. Seeing the console, he coughed again. Feeling ill. Feeling the full taxing of his fight. The long fight, every step taken. Each one this far.

Suddenly, Anderson stood before him. "I'm proud of you son. Now, you can stop. You've proven yourself. It's over. Just, let it go."

Shepard, snarled before running his pistol across the projection. Then stepped past it to find someone he thought he lost. On Virmire… a friend, a early ally. The one soldier of the Alliance that died in his early career. Trying to speak to him, to tell him that all his sacrifices are over. He can let it go, let his duty go.

Shepard instead pushed on. Then he stumbled toward the console. When another projection. This one, he knew too well. His love interest. The one person he trusted. Talking, about the future. That he secured their future, and he can stop. Let it go. Give in. Surrender…

Shepard held his head, as the cloudy feel like that of the Illussive man tried to cloud his mind. Then he pushed on. To find the last projection. The Catalyst. The boy.

"This, is not the path designed. You were not meant to come this far."

The urge to shoot the child came to him, and he just instead walked past… no reason to waste another round on this thing. They were beaten, he can feel it.

Suddenly, he heard Joker, "Commander? What's your status? I can arrange a pick-up in…"

Shepard however knew it's not over yet. He closed his eyes, panting. This prolonged conflict. The rolling and fighting with the husks. He now felt weaker than before. Shepard ordered, "Get my Admiral Hackett."

Joker was silent, but asked, "Commander? What about you-."

"I need the admiral, Joker!"

Silence again and soon, "Admiral Hackett, Shepard. We need orders, now."

"I have orders. Admiral. I need you to bomb the Citadel. You need to destroy it, at any costs."

Shepard can hear the Admiral, worried. "Shepard, if we do that? With it so close to Earth…"

"I know." Shepard frowned a moment. "I don't see any other choice."

At first it sounded insane. However, Hackett warned. "We may sustain severe casualties. The Reapers are not letting us close to the Citadel. Let alone able to bomb it. That means Earth will be at the mercy of every other race. Commander, this…"

Shepard, coughed up blood all of a sudden. Then he slumped in panting heavily. Now he said, "We have to trust in one another. It's our only chance. Admiral."

There is a moment. The Catalyst stood as Shepard heard the fleet, ordering the bombarding. "Your people will suffer most from your actions. When the other races bring their chaotic will upon your species. It will be of your failure. Your species will perish. Your survival, is over."

Shepard had to chuckle. As he laid there, eyes looking at the thing that this far tried to condemn all organics. With that, he felt one last sense. A sense of hope, and hate. To this, he chose hope.

"It's never a matter of survival. This war. It was a war of hope. A war for a chance." To that, he closed his eyes, sighing. Softly thinking about it all. "This is all about the chance. For letting the races of the galaxy. Have one final, fighting chance."

Just then Shepard heard someone. His head perked. Turning, he stood and realized who it was. That is where he gathered what strength he can to stand. Leaning on the console, he spoke. To that one person one last time. Shepard's love interest. His one good thing, that last good thing. A few words really. Did he offer them hope? Did he offer them, remorse? Shepard gave his last few words to that person. Somehow, on the Normandy. Most likely having been called back, after the failed mission on Earth. If they were still alive.

With that Shepard looked up in the sky. Reapers were littering the stars, with ships. He saw all his allied forces gathered. The people that came into battle with him. Narrowing his eyes, Shepard then saw the coming missiles, the bombardment.

A swift smile. Shepard closed his eyes sighing one, last breath. Then opened his eyes as he turned to the Catalyst. Which watched him with no change. Shepard, in that moment. Of his last stood in as much defiance as his broken form can give. For in that final moment, he defined his struggle to the every, lasting breath he had.

The attack soon shattered and broke the arms of the Citadel. Where it once was a massive collection of power. The Citadel was being blown apart, and broken. Debris began to fall toward Earth and would only add to the level of destruction the Reapers had left. In midst of the conflict, the Alliance hammered at the Citadel. Until a wave fired from the great structure. What was meant to perhaps hit the relays, instead was directed into the Crucible. Which suddenly sparked and spun, and charged. In moments the Crucible burned with light and the relays were sparked with a power. Soon redirected on the Crucible, the new 'mass relay network' was finally online.

In the chaos of this. The Reapers sparked and surged, their powers shifted and formed. Each Reaper that one moment ago was destroying the fleets. Seemed to shift. Much as when the former Sovereign was distorted, and torn from Saren. The signal that 'controlled' a Reaper, was disrupted. Their minds as a collective were suddenly shifted dramatically. Each one was left unable to defend and protect their beings. A lapse, that Shepard hoped would come.

As it came, each ship still able turned attentions and fired at all force. With enough ships, the fleets could destroy these massive juggernauts with incredible power. To shatter their ungodly forces. It was brutal, the sight of each Reaper once a devastating powerhouse of purging plight. Soon left as debris in collected arsenals. Each Reaper killed, was weaker and left more vulnerable.

However, they were only so long. As the Reapers came back, and were slowly rising. The fleets struck harder, and faster. Their people were driven. The Reapers were not as effective as before. Damage to their massive fleet, was showing. They were loosing their numbers. Their powers.

In a sudden change of effort. Several Reapers bellowed a horn in their own manner, and turned. One being Harbinger. The fleets follow, firing and taking on as much to destroy them. Harbinger itself, seemed close to the Mass Relay. When suddenly, with the front of the fleet. Came the Normandy. Firing that powerful cannon they earned from their work, the fleet tore a limb, then a back section. Harbinger's eyes flutter a moment before suddenly the massive beast, blew in chunks. The remaining Reapers that retreated… were gone, for now….

Yet they were weak. They were much weaker. Their 'minds' were not as strong. Their powers, not as complete. They were left without the key force of their army.

Yet, the same. Could be said of the forces of Earth. For this day. They lost even one other such resource. Commander Shepard.

* * *

><p>Mindoir, home of Commander Shepard. The birthplace of a hero. After the long, long ordeal of stopping the major Reaper invasion. The forces still able were now gathered. In this, the Council. Stood on a platform with heroes of the event arriving. It was being vidcast by many news people from all races. Even the one who was station on the Normandy. Each team member was given a reward from respective to their race. The Council then made a speech. One of sacrifice, and virtue. They spoke on behalf of the man that was now gone. The galaxy was a little more empty now without him.<p>

The Council spoke how small resistance groups still linger. The Reapers were still a threat, but not nearly as large as they were. Whatever hold the Citadel had was shattered. The Reapers were still attacking small outposts, trying to gain ground in some systems. The same was with Cerberus and Geth forces, across the universe. Yet, special groups were assigned to handle these problems. Allowing them the pleasure of leaving this matter 'checked' while the rest of the galaxy tried it's best to handle the threats of rebuilding.

Even so. The group gathered watched with some distaste. A little intrigue. The one most effected was the love interested of the former, commander Shepard. Having shared only a few moments of last thought with that man. The love interest, is called to stage. A little less able to move on the matter. The Council, asked her a moment of time. She, whomever they were, had been asked a question of unexpected response.

The Turian Councilor asked, "We know, that no amount of talk or speech can offer good to your grief. As we are aware, that you and the Commander shared a bond most personal. However, we are inclined to offer something, anything to the man who saved the universe. A reward, in his honor."

The Salarian Councilor spoke too, "Indeed, with that in mind as well you service with him. It was our inclination that perhaps, you can offer some light on the subject? A means to understand. Just what it is he might have wanted? If he were here?"

The Love Interest would have words for them. To after all this time know that they never supported the commander. Yet left with the last choice. The last real choice on behalf of their lover. It was a matter of deciding. What, was the best means to repay them? Shepard was a hero. A man of good action and wish. She could have requested a thing more personal, to give resources to Earth, for all the loss it suffered. She knew that the Council will just dismiss this! Or try and argue that they sustained too much damage from this as well.

Even so, the love interest would follow his example. The only thing, she knew. Was that Shepard gave his life for the universe. The Galaxy. The galactic population. So in the eyes of Shepard, it was time this 'council' stopped being so short sighted. To offer more view, more freedom. So indecision like this did not condemn them all again. The Love Interest in mind of the good nature of Shepard. Requested, that the Council be opened to all races of the galaxy. An ambassador from all walks. To allow that if a matter this severe ever rises again? That they be ready for it.

It was met with resistance. The Turian Councilor hissed, "Are you insane? The races are so many now. Thanks to Shepard, we've Rachni, Geth an-"

Suddenly, a voice called out. A large booming Krogan voice. The one of Wrex, who fought alongside Shepard the longest. "She's right. It's time the Council stopped playing around like vorcha with a varren pup! You idiots, Shepard warned you years ago! You're all too compliant." Walking forward, he waved a hand at them, shouting, "Why shouldn't we all have a seat on the Council? Maybe, with more wide views and ideas, we can stop things like this from ever happening!"

The Asari Councilor reminds Wrex, "While, this IS a respectable request. It is a tall one to take. We don't even know how many races would wish to reclaim part to our Council. If Batarian, Quarian and Geth ambassadors were…"

A Quarian steps forward, Raan the admiral whom was first to be allied now with the Geth, along with a Geth Prime. She spoke, "You have such ambassadors, Councilor. Standing here." She, stood tall. The Geth with her, mimicked the action. "It might seem unreal, but the Quarians and the Geth are making strides for peace. If, the council wished? We can happily offer our own view."

There was a silent stare. The Asari Councilor asks, "Do you truly mean to bring the Geth, to the Council?"

The Geth Prime, turned his head to tell. "I bring myself, Councilor. On behalf of the Geth. I, will be a terminal for the Geth. To all organic life in the council."

The councilors look between one another. There is a slight uproar, other faces of races here. The realization is obvious. The Salarian Councilor said, softly. "Perhaps it is for the best?"

The Turian Councilor turned, whispering, "Shepard brought all these races together for a reason. If we have any hope of peace. We need to face facts, without a seat on the council wars will break out.

"Agreed." The Asari Councilor stood forward, as did her others. "In light of the deeds of Commander Shepard. As well, the level of instability of the universe. It is time that the Council serve as a terminal, not just of the races that are in most power. Yet, of all the races in power. The Geth, Quarians and Krogan. With the end of the Reapers. We, can aim for peace. Not just for our own time, but the future as well." A smile to the Love Interest, she said softly, "It's the least, we owe Shepard."

Cheers are given. Some 'joy' spread. Talks grew. Yet in their own way the Love Interest reflects on the matter. They talk, of this in private with another of the crew. Perhaps Joker? Or even someone else. In the end, the idea is that the Commander was gone. This, was a good ending. There was resolution. There was choice. As well, freedom.

Yet the end is that Shepard the Savior of the… everything. Was gone. His sacrifice served as a beacon for the universe. Was it enough? Will, this ever be enough?

It would have to be. With the end of the Commander. The universe is a little more open to change. How it will grow was a question for a later date. The Love Interest can be seen going back home to rebuild whatever they had. Keep a promise for their lover. The one they trusted the most. Perhaps, rebuild a home on the Quarian homeworld? Or, take to Thessia and use what information broking power they have to recreate the land. The other possible outcome could even be seeing the Alliance, being rebuilt and forged on a new vessel or on Earth in New York City? It's hard to tell. Hard to say. Everyone has a different story. Shepard lives different lives. Loved different people to other players.

Yet it was their choice that helped that happen. It only makes sense, Commander Shepard had a choice. When he perished.


	3. Hope Of Tomorrow Shepard Lives Ending

Mass Effect 3: But A Dream (Ending Story)

Disclaimer: I do not own or have any rights to representation of Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, EA Games and any other mass media trademarks within this fiction. All is represented within the context of private entertainment and the exchange of free ideals/entertainment. No attempts to falsely render said persons or members, fictitious or otherwise were intentional.

Mass Effect 3: But A Dream (Ending Story)

Chapter 2: Hope Of Tomorrow (Shepard Lives Ending)

Note: This chapter is a reflective on Commander Shepard surviving the coming end. The chapter WILL read exactly the same until the page break. Should you wish to read the same as the last chapter to that point for maybe reference and atmosphere, go ahead. Otherwise skip to the page break and read the segment where Shepard's actions alter his path within Mass Effect 3. Like I honestly expected, playing the game in it's entirety? Alternate endings on choices made in 3 would have been very enjoyable (I am not ignoring the alternate endings of ME3 and I respected them as their own. However, this is more an exercise of free speech and free entertainment, this story is for only that purpose). As well the ability to save the Commander on said decisions. I still wish there was a more direct matter for this section at least for my Paragon. My Renegade, I was willing to let her perish. Incidentally as I completed this the news of Extended DLC has been broadcasted, and these alternate endings will be more entertaining for all those wishing to read them. There are more chapters to come so please keep reading. I deeply enjoy writing these for myself, and everyone else wanting them to read.

It was a long road to this point. Just a few years ago. A simple mission on a simple backwater planet. A strange alien device, secrets of a dying race and the turn of a traitor. The galaxy was thrown into chaos. The way of life in danger. One person stood in this. One person stood against this. For what was like forever they were alone. The single, lone face to the odds. After so many years of battle and gathering Intel. To the eventual death and rebirth of the hero. The stopping of a Reaper invasion, their Collector harvest and now the final Reaper Collective. The great story came to this single last effort. The use of a strange, secret alien device. The war against the Reapers. The last battle where every fleet in the galaxy. Every man and woman, or in some cases other from view of the Geth, were gathered for the conflict and it was to be a great bout of survival. There was no way or means to not be proud of this final conflict.

The Crucible. The Catalyst. The Citadel. The key to survival.

All this leads Shepard. The hero of the Citadel, stopper of the Collectors and one last hope for survival, here.

To a place on the Citadel. Where it all seems to come full circle, repeatedly. A console behind him, a strange unknown entity before him that spoke of being the Catalyst. Then the eventual speech of his enemy, their purpose and his own reasons for existence, the final struggle. A place to be shown the sight of the three choices before him. Shepard bleeding from the battle on earth and weak still found strength to listen, to hear the words of this entity. To be made aware of his surrounding. Of his 'place' in this matter.

Shepard was now the 'choice' and what he is left is one of incredible difficulty. Lowering his head he heard what this Catalyst told him. He understood the 'choice' that was to be made. What it entitles. However, each choice left Shepard a bit more disheveled and uncertain. What if he made the wrong choice? What can his choice give? What will happen to those he saved? Shepard chose to save the Krogan, the Genophage cure he ensured will survive. Shepard made a truce with the Geth and the Quarians. Shepard got the Turian and Krogan people to fight, he gathered support from the Drell, the Hanar and the Volus! The Elcor! The Asari! Yet now here he was alone, broken and bloody. His eyes saw three choices that deemed the salvation of all life. To either control the Reapers. To turn the Reapers and all life to one. Or to give an end to the synthetics, and let life go anew for organics.

Shepard was left with a severe choice that would define a universe. One that will alter the very fabric of life. Where in seeing these three options the commander knew whatever he chose would be 'absolute'. To be here Shepard felt the weight of all those decisions trying to define his actions. To see the child he one left behind here a symbol of every man, woman and yes child he can save.

The weight made Shepard fall to his knees. His head hung, eyes sting with a feel of shame. As Shepard hung his head he took a shaky breath as his ribs ache and body grew tired once more. "I can't do it." He said, with a sense of dread in his voice. "I can't do this."

"You must." The voice spoke. It demanded his action. It spoke forth, as it was now beside him again. "These are the choices we designed. That are acceptable. They are what we give you to destroy the Reapers. To stop the Cycle."

Shepard turned upward, seeing this unusual figure. A sympathetic face he knew all too well. It haunted his dreams for several days now. "It's just too much to ask. To turn the whole galaxy. To rewrite history."

"Perhaps. However, in order for your lives to be given safe passage into the future. You must use the gifts of the Crucible and of your labor. You must choose which of these paths you are now willing to take."

Shepard turned to the three choices again. He felt, that conflicted sensation he at times felt. After he made this being the Catalyst wait too long. It forced him to make a choice now. Shepard could choose the three choices given. To now automatically be taken to them, to accept them. Yet in the back of his mind. A part of him sensed, and felt more. He did not yet feel the full weight of his mind like when the adrenaline pumped in his veins. So he chose a fourth option, one that allowed Shepard to turn up to the entity and say, as he believed.

"I can't change an entire people on a whim. I can't just turn my back and allow everyone I'm fighting for to suffer without understanding more. It feels wrong."

"Feeling is irrelevant. The choices are here. You have a means, and you must use it. This was the design of all your action. This final event, is the essence of-."

As the Catalyst talked. Shepard sense a feeling he got at many times before. Some times, a urge came to him. A sudden shift of his being forged into a measure of some outburst. At this time Shepard felt the first time in his life, a surge both good and bad, one 'paragon' and one 'renegade' reaction. To then be a man of good will. Shepard chose the prior, over the later.

"I know." He held up a hand still on his knees. Yet Shepard went on. "However, the choices you give me. The 'design' feels wrong. Everything you are telling me, the weight of the galaxy. I can not act without better understanding."

"There is no more time. You must follow the design of the Crucible. To fulfill your destiny and our own. You must act in accordance to this design."

"The design?" Shepard closed his eyes. His mind followed back, to the old times.

Your civilization is based on the technology of the mass relays. Our technology. By using it, your civilization develops along the paths we desire.

Shepard could hear that voice even after all this time. It at this time made him realize. Just what he has been doing. While standing here. Shepard, turned up with a glare of the utmost defiance. "The design is what you desire. Isn't it? The path you wish us to take?"

"It is the natural evolution of your species. This, is the path that was chosen."

"By you." Standing, Shepard held his aching ribs. A hiss of pain but he spoke, "By the Reapers."

"Yes. As well no. It is the design that was crafted in the beginning. The Cycle is what it has always been."

Shepard looked down at the choices given to him. Those forms of 'salvation' soon made him think. It made him realize. "This isn't the way."

"This, is the only way. This is the only choice that can be given."

Shepard glared back into the sky. His heart, beats softly. Yet then flares up with thoughts of the bodies he saw. All gathered in the corridors of the Citadel. "The Citadel. It's just like the Collector Base. Except, it's the center of our entire civilization. Several years ago you would have begun the invasion from here. If not for the fact, the Protheans interrupted you."

The Catalyst looked up to Shepard and said, as cold and mechanized as the moment they met. "This is how the cycle existed. Yet the main point of each cycle will always be the repurposing of organic life. To ensure order is made from the chaos."

Shepard looked at this thing. Why it was the boy, the one he saw? When it had no bearing of that child's real person. "You force this path on us. We won't submit to the will of the Reapers. We'd rather go on fighting."

"That, is not acceptable. The choices we have designed are meant to be taken."

"That you designed?" Shepard thought then to something else. A far, far stranger realization. Stepping back, Shepard asks, "The Crucible? Wait, it can't be… like the Citadel?"

The Catalyst seemed to be aware, Shepard now knew. "The Crucible was found as an inevitability. In our coming. A race had begun construction from plans similar to that you had made. The fact was now known. We, could no longer instill the order which we demanded. Chaos was able to cause disorder." The Catalyst turned upward, where at this time. Reaper and Alliance forces battled. Lives are lost, Shepard saw but the Catalyst is unaffected. "Organic life would one day succeed in building the Crucible and this was taken into effect. Until this time, our solution would suffice. We allowed this. Yet, we reordered the Crucible. So it would follow our path. As would the new cycle." Looking to Shepard. It then ended, with, "As you are here now."

"Then all of this was for nothing. I just brought another weapon from the Reapers."

"No. It was a weapon created by Organics. For a purpose. We repurposed it to be used in union with our mainframe. This, was so we could make a solution. The choices we have designed are those you were meant to commit to. Since you were brought to life. Our choices, are you salvation."

Shepard turned upwards and narrowed his eyes. Snarling. "You mean salvation through destruction."

"Perhaps." The Catalyst turned to the choices given. "Each choice will give an end to the cycle. A new cycle will begin. You, will join with us. Or you will destroy us. These choices, are those we deem acceptable."

"By your design."

"Yes." The Catalyst turned to Shepard, and told him. "Organics can not decide their fate alone. This, is the way the cycle must come."

"You can't just…" Shepard, held his head. "You will never understand. Synthetics like you, with your lack of insight can't possibly understand. You don't realize, no organic life would ever-."

"The Cycle began from the will of Organics. It was their design that made us. It was their work, that allowed us to begin the Cycle. This was their destiny. It is the path we allowed. For order."

Shepard turned upward, confused. "What organics?"

"Those that began the cycle. The race that first created the Citadel." A moment, "The race that you call, now. Keepers."

"The Keepers?" Shepard frowned a moment, thinking, what can that mean? Then he asks, "What were the Keepers? Before they were… what they are now?"

"The Keepers were the first sentient organic life in this universe. A species of highly evolved insect life. However, they bred swiftly and populated too vast a region. In the early stage of organic involvement in the galaxy. The worlds did not have a means to keep life this unstable in check. They grew, but soon began to dwindle. Already by that time they had formed a means of travel to many worlds. Yet they also knew that the worlds they visited that could possibly sustain life were few to none. For this reason. They began to create a new synthetic world, a constructed station. One that would allow perfect control of their environment."

Shepard realized then, "You mean, you? The Citadel?"

"Yes." The Catalyst spoke, in a slight remembrance. "I was created. The Citadel was a station made to host the life of a species that was born by chance. It was given little ability to live without intervention. To stabilize their ecosystem my design was altered. It was given control of many artificial patterns. I was able to control crops. I controlled levels of oxygen. However, war came as factions grew distinct views in such small quarters. The species began to divert and break, and in time I was given greater control. I was improved, I was given all measure of use to the facility. Eventually, I was made able to reproduce their species to keep numbers from falling and growing too high. In time, the Keepers accepted our order. As organics do now."

"Wait. No, you manipulated them. You indoctrinated them!"

The Catalyst turned, and spoke cold. True. "They accepted the path we gave them."

"You destroyed them!"

"No." It glared if that were possible. "We, repurposed them. The Keepers lived. They were brought to order. Their lives were needed. We kept them. They rebuilt us. It was their purpose. They no longer were, they simply became us. We no longer were their created. They were no longer our creators. We became one. We had no past, or beginning. We had no end. For this was the way it was meant to be."

Shepard held his head, shaking it. Finding this truth the most disturbing. "So the Reapers…"

"The Chaos began again. Life grew on other worlds. We kept travel and studied, knowing the chaos of organic life. They needed to be cultivated. Eventually, organics would create synthetic constructs that would rival us, and the possibility was highly noted what such constructions will become." Turning to the stars, the Catalyst explained. "We however could not stop organic life so early without a means of imposing will. It was then, like the Keepers. We realized we must force order. On chaos. The chaos of organic evolution. The genetic impurity that is caused by organic growth."

Shepard glared back at this monster. This… thing. "You stupid, self righteous…" Shepard snarled now, and shook his head screaming, "You don't understand! We don't need you to make our decisions for us! The path you have created, was wrong!"

"That is your voice. A voice of organic chaotic evolution, which does not have the unbiased knowledge of a superior synthetic system. After our knowledge. We began to create a means to control organic populations. Like the Keepers. We knew all life must be cultivated. Or else, it will destroy itself. It will grow too far. It will wage war on itself."

"That's what is meant to be!" Cried Shepard, realizing he almost followed this thing! For what? Why…? Was he somehow, indoctrinated too? All the time on the Citadel. All the time working in this place. Under… the Citadel? He knew time again that the people here never seemed right. Seeing them ignore the war, the Reaper threat even after all this began! It was impossible to ignore this place might just be…

"That was not a path we could allow. It endangered us. It endangered organics. The path chosen, was made for salvation. To self preserve."

Shepard glared back, and snapped, "You mean to preserve yourself?"

"Yes. As well Organics." It turned, and there the Reapers were fighting again, battle raging on… "The truth was always. When the Citadel was created. We knew, that this was inevitable. That eventually a time will come Organics face Synthetics. That peace, can not be achieved easily. Yet this is why we made the choices. With the Crucible. By locking the Crucible we ensure it can not be used. Outside, of our design."

"Locking it?" Shepard soon realized, "You mean, the Crucible? It's still active?"

The Catalyst looked to Shepard yet, it did not answer him. Instead, it turned saying, "We have three choices. Each, will allow peace. Organics and Synthetics will begin a new cycle, you will be part of this cycle. You must follow the path chosen, and take what is accepted."

"No." Shepard glared back, shouting, "I won't be a part of this! Your cycles, the way YOU choose. You may be the designers of this galaxy, but I'm not a slave to this design! I'm free, the people up there are free! We are free!" Glaring up he saw the lives being lost, the people dying. Yet this thing saw not the sacrifice. It saw statistics, not souls. It saw data, not ideals. "I won't be part of the cycle anymore. None of us will."

Shepard looked back behind himself. Trying, to think of a way to deal with this. Yet the Catalyst spoke forth. "There is no way to stop what has begun. Your sacrifices will be of no point, if you do not accept this path. This, is what is in the design."

"I understand that. It's exactly why I refuse." Shepard stepped at the end of the path where he came up from. Here, he narrowed his eyes. "The Illussive man was here. Why?"

The Catalyst turned to Shepard. "In order to stop you."

"Because…"

"If an organic could come this far. My cycle is no longer compatible. The cycle can no longer be accepted. Our new design, will allow a number of change. It was designed to give you, and your species a new way of survival. The events were thus up to you and your species. By getting this far, you were given a means to end your struggle."

"At the cost of our freedom. No matter what choice I make. It costs too high for everyone involved." Turning, he glared at this thing. "Your 'solution' even the new ones will be a drastic means of destruction. There is another way, and I can find it."

"That is improbable." The Catalyst watched as Shepard looked out in the stars. "You are currently injured. Your will has allowed you to prolong your end. The sight of a chance to 'change' your fate, is dwindling. We have given you the choices. The path we chose. You must make a choice."

"I have." Shepard narrowed his eyes, saying, "We're going to destroy you."

"You can not stop the Reapers by conventional means."

"Not the Reapers." Shepard glared back, "You."

The Catalyst watched as Shepard tried to hail some one. "Admiral Hackett! Hackett! This is Shepard, I need you to pull the Crucible away from the Citadel!"

Shepard heard the Catalyst, protesting. Trying to tell him, that such action will cause his fate to be faulted. In this time, a pressure built in the back of Commander Shepard's skull. Suddenly, giving in. He turned with pistol raised and fired straight into the AI. When it shattered. Shepard whispered, softly. "You chose that form because it would make me sentimental. It almost worked."

Suddenly, he heard someone. "Shepard?" Hackett called out. "Shepard! What happened? We need that thing active! Now!"

"Admiral!" Shepard, turned up to the stars, seeing the battle wage still. "Admiral, listen to me. The Catalyst was a trap. The Citadel, it's not the key to using the Crucible."

"What the hell do you mean Shepard? It has to be!"

"It isn't!" Shepard thought, and tried hard to understand. "The Citadel is not the key to stopping the Reapers like this. I need you to pull it back away from the Citadel."

"Shep-ah." He heard Hackett. Then soon, after the pause. "All Crucible forces, retract the Crucible! We need it pulled away, and intact."

However, a sudden spasm sound on his radio, he heard Hackett scream, "Damn it! Shepard, we can't take control! The Crucible has been locked out, from the Citadel!"

"From the Citadel?" Shepard thought, that means… The Crucible is still somehow able to help? To maybe stop this?

Shepard sighed softly. Thinking, he tried to reason. What then is the Crucible? What means could it use? The Citadel was a massive coordination of the Mass Relays. In fact, he turned to the three choices. Each one destroys the relays. Why? That made him wonder. What if…?

Shepard looked down a moment before suddenly calling, "EDI!" Edi, was his ship. She was his best weapon against the reapers. Since, in a way… she's superior to them.

"Commander Shepard. We've been getting reports that show you may have died, again. I'm glad that was, not so."

"EDI? Listen. I need you." He told her, "I need you to run a fast simulation. Of a possible hypothetical. With all the work we did on the Crucible, all the designs it has. Can you tell me, is it possible that perhaps some how the Crucible could somehow harness the dark energy from the Mass Relays, or maybe stop or alter a signal released to the Mass Relays?"

EDI seemed to be silent. Yet then, in as fast as she can. EDI came back with an alarming discovery. "Shepard, with the current number of additions for and of construction with the Crucible. It is very likely, that the Crucible could in fact act as a new mass relay network. Some how, the Crucible looks to be designed to take the signal from the Citadel. What ever gave you this hypoth-"

"EDI!" Edi, is taken back. "I appreciate it. Still, I need your help. You have sophisticated cyber warfare." A moment, he frowned thinking, how to speak. He could order her. Or… put forth trust? This is once more, a time where he favored his heart. "I trust you. I always trusted you. Now I need you to help me. EDI. I need you to use whatever resources you can, however you can. To hack the Citadel. All it's controls. I need you to force the Citadel to release the Crucible."

EDI was more than able to comply. "I will begin immediately Shepard. It will take some time."

Shepard smiled as he looked up. This is it. He had to believe, this will work. Shepard closed his eyes and gave his hand a squeeze. Still in pain, he turned to see the flashing VI turn back on.

"Your actions." It spoke, as it walked toward him. "Are at a loss. Your people are dying. Your choice, will not save the galaxy."

"It will offer free will." He retorts, before groaning and faltering on his knee again. "I-I have to give the galaxy. Everything I can."

"You sacrifice your own will. Your own life. For this measure of freedom. Survival, is the only measure of life. To live."

Shepard narrowed his eyes. Then stood, firm. "That's not for you to decide our survival. We, are living beings that make our own choices. It was our choices in this galaxy that molded it how it will be. As for you?" He stepped back, shaking his head. Defiance in his every word. "There's no survival for you now."

"There is no survival without the cycle. Without order to impose on the chaos. Organic life will destroy itself. If not by synthetic creation. It will be by it's own design. You have seen how organic life 'evolves' and how it feeds on it's own. This, is the genetic mistake of nature. We impose the will needed. To stop the endless chaos."

Shepard soon chuckled at this thing. How it must have came to this decision so long ago. When it turned on organics. "Yet it's organics that weakened you wasn't it?"

"Your actions now will not be enough."

"No. I mean the Protheans." He stood firm, "The Protheans. You. The 'signal' that allows you to open the relay to dark space. When they disabled you. I bet, every 500,000 years you must have to shut down. You have to 'reserve' your power. Your strength. Or even just gather more? Maybe, you take power from stars." He thought, "Like Haelstrom… that's it, you take that power. You destroy stars to gather energy for every 500,000 years. As do the Reapers. It all makes sense." Walking forward, he glared angrily. "It was because of this. During that time you were unaware of what was happening. That the Protheans had mastered the means of travel. The means of spatial travel like that of your Relays. When they got in, they disabled the signal. As well you and if not for Sovereign perhaps your early flag ship to ensure the Citadel is 'secure' it would have been enough? You, are the means of control. The power of the Reapers. Without you. I bet that the Reapers, will fall easily. Or maybe at least a little easier?"

"You are wrong." However, it did not sound so convinced. In this moment, Shepard saw it. The weakness. That chink in the armor. "Organic life is a mistake. It is given time to evolve, as is our programming. Our design. All things must follow the design."

"Not this time. The Design is not enough. The Designers, aren't the only ones making this story any more. It's those, who make the choices." He stood, tall and proud. "It's me. Commander Shepard. I'm the one that makes the decisions, not you."

"No." The Catalyst turned strangely on Shepard. The chambers of this place, grew a little colder. As well darker. "You would undo all that I have done. This, I can not allow."

Just then, Shepard sensed a change. The screams echo from below. A shift of his rib, and Shepard hissed before soon rising his arm and trying to use his Omni-tool. It was badly damaged… he had to try though, and luckily he can use his medi-gel. Luckily, it worked… and with that, he narrowed his eyes. The pain is gone but the injuries linger. As well, his abilities are renewed. From the lower floors, came the Husks. Called by the Catalyst perhaps? The Reapers. The one enemy. Husks… a few at a time. A few crawling, coming in small waves. Shepard had to fight them, alone.

In the Normandy. The ship that served Shepard for many years both life and in death. The crew lived on. Joker, the pilot. Swerved past debris as he expertly put forth his best skill. More than once he wished to run… not in cowardice, but to save the crew. As was a word from EDI. Yet he knew so long Shepard is alive. He had to fight. Just then, he turned and saw the lights flickering. It was then the ship fell silent.

"EDI?" He turned, seeing the synthetic body a twitch. Eyes a flicker and then lip a twitch. He understood, "Damn it! EDI! It's got to be the damn Citadel!" Standing, he growled as he nearly broke an ankle. Suddenly, he grabbed her hand. "EDI, listen to me! I need you to get out of this!" EDI was still amidst her action. To then, hear Jeff scream. "EDI! I need you! Fight!" He shook his head, "EDI! Fight, for us!"

As the enemy forces took notice of a disabled Normandy. Preparing a beam. The lights come back. Suddenly, it flew from the direct line of fire. Then, EDI grabbed Joker as he fell back. Pulling him to the chair. When he looked, his eyes meet the synthetic.

"I am assuming direct control."

Joker's eyes bug out a moment, before a sudden, "Oh sh-,"

However, kissing the pilot. He was… well, a little speechless. A bit taken. Then released, the mechanical woman told. "That, was a-."

"Joke." A smile, Joker sighed before shaking his head. "I got it."

On the Citadel, Shepard screamed with the last round of his gun, firing the last Husk. Where now he got a call. "EDI?"

"Yes Shepard." EDI told him, "I have taken control of most the Citadel functions, enough to release the Crucible. However, if not for the amount of resistance I had. Thanks to you and Jeff. My connection to him. I may not have been able to do so effectively."

Shepard smiled a bit but then, groaned as he held his rib. "Argh!"

Just then, he heard a puffing sound. Turning up, he saw a projection of the Illussive Man. "You did it Shepard. You finally stopped the Reapers. I had my 'doubts' of your intentions. Yet you achieved, what no other human could hope to."

Shepard narrowed his eyes, standing. Then he humbled himself walking through the projection. Seeing the console, he coughed again. Feeling ill. Feeling the full taxing of his fight. The long fight, every step taken. Each one this far.

Suddenly, Anderson stood before him. "I'm proud of you son. Now, you can stop. You've proven yourself. It's over. Just, let it go."

Shepard, snarled before running his pistol across the projection. Then stepped past it to find someone he thought he lost. On Virmire… a friend, a early ally. The one soldier of the Alliance that died in his early career. Trying to speak to him, to tell him that all his sacrifices are over. He can let it go, let his duty go.

Shepard instead pushed on. Then he stumbled toward the console. When another projection. This one, he knew too well. His love interest. The one person he trusted. Talking, about the future. That he secured their future, and he can stop. Let it go. Give in. Surrender…

Shepard held his head, as the cloudy feel like that of the Illussive man tried to cloud his mind. Then he pushed on. To find the last projection. The Catalyst. The boy.

"This, is not the path designed. You were not meant to come this far."

The urge to shoot the child came to him, and he just instead walked past… no reason to waste another round on this thing. They were beaten, he can feel it.

Suddenly, he heard Joker, "Commander? What's your status? I can arrange a pick-up in…"

Shepard however knew it's not over yet. He closed his eyes, panting. This prolonged conflict. The rolling and fighting with the husks. He now felt weaker than before. Shepard ordered, "Get my Admiral Hackett."

Joker was silent, but asked, "Commander? What about you-."

"I need the admiral, Joker!"

Silence again and soon, "Admiral Hackett, Shepard. We need orders, now."

"I have orders. Admiral. I need you to bomb the Citadel. You need to destroy it, at any costs."

Shepard can hear the Admiral, worried. "Shepard, if we do that? With it so close to Earth…"

"I know." Shepard frowned a moment. "I don't see any other choice."

At first it sounded insane. However, Hackett warned. "We may sustain severe casualties. The Reapers are not letting us close to the Citadel. Let alone able to bomb it. That means Earth will be at the mercy of every other race. Commander, this…"

Shepard, coughed up blood all of a sudden. Then he slumped in panting heavily. Now he said, "We have to trust in one another. It's our only chance. Admiral."

There is a moment. The Catalyst stood as Shepard heard the fleet, ordering the bombarding. "Your people will suffer most from your actions. When the other races bring their chaotic will upon your species. It will be of your failure. Your species will perish. Your survival, is over."

Shepard had to chuckle. As he laid there, eyes looking at the thing that this far tried to condemn all organics. With that, he felt one last sense. A sense of hope, and hate. To this, he chose hope.

"It's never a matter of survival. This war. It was a war of hope. A war for a chance." To that, he closed his eyes, sighing. Softly thinking about it all. "This is all about the chance. For letting the races of the galaxy. Have one final, fighting chance."

Just then Shepard heard someone. His head perked. Turning, he stood and realized who it was. That is where he gathered what strength he can to stand. Leaning on the console, he spoke. To that one person one last time. Shepard's love interest. His one good thing, that last good thing. A few words really. Did he offer them hope? Did he offer them, remorse? Shepard gave his last few words to that person. Somehow, on the Normandy. Most likely having been called back, after the failed mission on Earth. If they were still alive.

With that Shepard looked up in the sky. Reapers were littering the stars, with ships. He saw all his allied forces gathered. The people that came into battle with him. Narrowing his eyes, Shepard then saw the coming missiles, the bombardment.

* * *

><p>The missiles were closing. All Shepard could do was think on his past. When suddenly, he heard someone. The sound was a little deafened from the thrusters firing behind him. Turning swiftly, Commander Shepard saw a Kodiak shuttle, the doors open, someone inside screaming, "Commander! Get in! Now!"<p>

Shepard was, stunned… but knew it was his only hope. Running and in all this pain, he leapt into the vehicle. The doors close fast, the driver fired off into the best means of escape. The bumpy spin and twists between missiles, blasts and firing horror that soon smashed and blew at the Citadel. Whom this driver was, had skills.

When Shepard stood panting and heaving, he hung on the seat of the driver as they steady and start to cool off transit. Shepard looked in stunned awe, "Cortez?"

The pilot, Cortez. He smiled with a watch of the direction they took. "Yes commander."

"H-how… what?"

"I couldn't let you become an anchor too, Commander."

Shepard seemed a bit taken. Yet he smiled, and slapped him on the shoulder. "Thank you Cortez."

The ship flew being hailed, "SSV Normandy, requesting pick-up!"

"SSV Normandy! This is Cortez, I have the commander!" The shuttle came beside the Normandy, and swiftly they began to dock. When done, Shepard and Cortez step out. Where there, EDI smiled with pride, and as Cortez said. "The Commander's injured but…"

Shepard, shook his head, walking to the deck. "Joker? What's the status?"

EDI stopped him, "Shepard, you have been gravely injured and suffered extensive loss. You should take time to…"

Shepard turned now, confused. "Wait, how DID you find me? I mean, on the Citadel?"

Officer Traynor stepped forward. The young specialist said with some concern, "M'well Commander. It might be a little odd. Yet, like when you took to before. I found the frequency and honed in on the signal immediately after you contacted Joker. When that was done… we just, needed a pilot."

Joker smiled a bit, saying, "Yeah, Traynor actually had it all figured out. See, when we heard you were killed planet side? We all flew on in, and started picking up the team. The problem there though was Cortez, luckily he flew a brand new Kodiak shuttle to meet us and we escaped." Turning, Joker told Shepard. "We were bugging out to try and gather forces to counter attack the Reapers. So getting the crew just seemed like the best idea… you know?"

Shepard did not fully understand. However, he was grateful. If he hadn't helped to probably investigate those two incidents at Grissom Academy, or the Science Facility? He may have never survived with Traynor to hone his signal. Or even maybe better yet saving Cortez… after all, Cortez was most important to surviving since he actually had to fly in and save him.

Shepard asked, "Joker? What IS the status?"

Joker saw EDI come to him, and looking now the pilot told Shepard. "The Citadel is going down…"

Shepard looked out, seeing it. The Citadel collapsed and crushed by it's own weight. Yet the Crucible now charged up from the power released, and began to seem to take control of those many mass relays. Shepard sighed and leaned forward whispering, "I knew it…"

Just then, Joker spoke up, "Commander! The Reapers!"

Shepard watched then as the Reapers were floating and bodies were twitching. A smile, Shepard spoke forth, "The Citadel must have been somehow effecting them. Perhaps, destroying it also caused them to loose control?"

Joker looked his screens over. "Commander, I'm seeing all mass effect cores are offline. Shields are down!" He turned, screaming, "Commander!"

Shepard screamed, over every radio, every connection. "This is Commander Shepard! Every force, every allied member of space! Target Reaper ships! Fire, fire until you've got nothing left! Blow them back to hell!"

The call was enough. Ships, flew in firing everything. Without their shields the ships were being blown apart. The lapse lasted for some time. When their engines returned, their shields were still inactive. A smile came to Shepard as he felt this is it, the chance. The way he can do it. After a blast though, Shepard fell and stumbled. He slowly stood up as he felt this ringing in his head. Not from the fall.

"Shepard."

The ringing was in his head. Shepard turned with a slight grunt. Then he stood seeing this… glow, before him.

"You have accomplished nothing. Your species is dwarfed by the power of our mere existence. The Citadel is not a victory. It is but a simple loss, of a species far beyond your own."

Something felt wrong. Shepard held his head groaning, and feeling dizzy. Something was wrong… b-but.

"No matter how hard you resist. The cycle is your own salvation. You will come to realize this. Organic life must follow the way of it's own destiny. Inevitably, you and your kind will create synthetic life and you will become those of the cycle. You will need us, to save you."

Joker called out, "Commander! I see Harbinger!"

That, Shepard snarled, "Pursue! Do-don't let it get away…"

"There will be a reckoning Shepard. Your time, is…"

The voice ended. Shepard turned up, seeing the Normandy blew a limb of Harbinger. Then other ships, fired. It looks like some used the Mass Relay to escape, but Harbinger was stopped…

Shepard smiled softly, then closed his eyes…

"We did it! Comma-," Suddenly a thud, Joker turned. "Oh shit! EDI!"

EDI came to Shepard, holding him up. "He's lost a lot of blood Jeff! We need to get him to the medical bay!"

Joker stood up, hobbling. "I know! Hurry up! Chakwas will know what to do, man I'm glad she's on the ship."

Hours will pass. Eventually, the commander woke to the sound of the door opening. There, Admiral Hackett. "Hackett…?"

The Admiral gave a nod, and asked, "How are you feeling?"

"Like the day after shore leave."

The Admiral smirked at such a remark, "You look it too, commander." Hackett soon asked, "Commander, what the hell happened down there?" Shepard looked up, thinking, but, "We set the Crucible into motion like all reason with the plans given offered. Yet in a moment's flash, you suddenly have a revelation about the Crucible? Where did that come from?"

Shepard thought, and tried to explain. "When… I was on the Citadel. There was a entity, a being. It said it was the creator of the Reapers. Some how, it also implied that the Reapers found the plans of the Crucible. They altered them to serve the will of the Reapers. Or at least, if organics should ever surpass their lives the Reapers somehow plotted to alternate the will of whoever used it. I think it indoctrinated those that live on the Citadel."

Shepard, frowned a bit. Trying to explain. "James himself said that the way people acted wasn't right, the Citadel always made you unsure of it's purpose, how it worked. I think that was what it was meant to do. In the end, the Citadel is the key to the Reaper invasion. So, luck had it. It was also key to their destruction."

Hackett soon warned, "That was a risky gambit. You weren't even sure it would work, and if it didn't…"

"Destroying the Citadel would have taken away every chance of stopping the Reapers. For everyone. I know." Shepard, lowered his head, sighing. "I know Admiral."

However, Hackett held out a hand, and Shepard looked up. "That doesn't matter. Commander, you did what you believed. From the beginning, you resisted the Reapers more than anyone else. You ALWAYS did what was right, and I commend you for it." A moment, he asks, "Do you think it's over?"

Shepard asked, "How would I know? I only know when we destroyed the Citadel. The Reapers lost power, their engines and core drives were overloaded with a massive energy flux. That does not mean we stopped them."

"No, not by a long shot." Hackett walked toward the window in the bay, that overlooked the cafeteria like area. "The sad thing is, Reapers are still active. Yet they aren't as strong as they were. Every Reaper seems to be, different. They aren't fighting like one, with so much power. It's like the Citadel somehow united them… like, how you united the galaxy."

"It's safe to say if it created the Reapers. Perhaps, it also controlled their minds? Indoctrination on a level even we could never truly understand." A moment, Shepard asks, "How hard are the fights with the Reapers?"

"Well, the Reaper ships are still devastating, but we've got them on the run. They don't have the numbers that they did which surrounded Earth. Thanks to the massive fleets you gathered, we seem to have the best offensive." A moment, Hackett sighed before holding his face. "Even so, Cerberus and rogue Geth are also being found working within these skirmishes. With the Illussive Man and Harbinger dead, and the Reapers now disorganized, most of these attacks are not nearly as devastating as before."

"Then there is a chance?"

"A chance is better than nothing. We haven't beaten them. Yet we have given it the best possible outcome. One that defies the common knowledge. Now the Reapers are more like a lost cat, trying to find the way back home."

Hackett looked back at the window seeing team members gathering. "You look to be expected Shepard. Perhaps, I should let you go?"

"Well, where to?"

"The Council survived the Citadel incident, after Cerberus attacking last time they had ensured a full speed escape plan. The last I heard a consulate meeting of some kind was scheduled on Mindoir."

"Mindoir?" Shepard was shocked, but asked, "Why my old home?"

"Really Shepard?" Hackett shook his head, and said, "You don't see what's happening? You helped… no, you STOPPED the invasion of the Reapers. Because of you, the Reapers were weakened and now their forces are incredibly disorganized. Nearly every enemy force has lost the full level of control they had. Even with Reapers roaming a few key locations. Or refusing to back down? It's your hand that swayed them."

Shepard soon rubbed his neck, really…?

"You're the hero Shepard." Hackett smiled before motioning out the window. "I think the happy faces out there alone, would agree. Now's the time you get your medal and whatever congressional response the Council can give you."

Shepard seemed fairly understanding of that regard, but a smile and he crossed his arms admitting, "I don't need their praise. I think my team will have enough."

Afterwards, Mindoir...

After the otherwise long talk among him and individual members. The Commander was free to enter the Galaxy Map and forge his next destination. A moment would be left for while he got dressed or prepared for that strange event. A certain someone would most likely come to see them in the cabin of the ship. The Commander, would share with that someone a little something personal. A congratulatory moment.

One more befitting of the Commander than the coming facelift of political power. With delegates, officials and war veterans of the fight. Shepard walked to the central point of this meeting. Where he knew the three officials, the Salarian, Asari and Turian councilors. As they saw him and gave a nod. The crowd, gave a slowly hushing appreciative applaud, cheer and since we know Krogan a bit of hollering that softly muted.

The Councilors motion, each one a strange manner of salute perhaps unique to their culture. That is when, the Asari Councilor speaks forth, "Commander, you have done for us what many never dreamed. Even after the long road of diversity, I am honored to see you alive again."

Shepard, gave a nod. "I'm, honored to be here."

The Turian Councilor gave, a slight sneer, "It was, unexpected. In any form that most would survive. There was a massive force of Reapers nearly primed to wipe out earth."

"And yet," The Salarian councilor chimed in. "You once again not only shown that our faith in you was poorly misrepresented. To a degree. You also shown that the galaxy in light of it's service and battle could some way defeat the machines."

Shepard, slowly looked back, seeing his team. "I didn't do it alone."

"No, you did not." The Salarian spoke, "In fact, you did it with the entirety of the galaxy. The universe. In our collective a power unlike any ever seen was sent. It was, a monument to your amazing skill and capabilities."

The Asari even throws out, "Which means that all those you gathered in victory are as well in debt to you. Commander. This summit was organized to award you for your works, but in most light of all that has been? We discussed, that perhaps you are best suited for that choice."

Shepard, thought now. The offer was indeed gracious. At his mind the knowing of his people on Earth had to be serious, he could demand aid. To force the races he gathered to help rebuild, and perhaps bring relief to them. However, that left him not with a sense of pride, or knowing he's saved this universe. This was never a battle for his people only. Shepard did this for the universe as a whole. With that in mind, Shepard made the best choice he could make.

"Councilors. For too long, have the races of this universe been at ends. When the Reapers attacked, it took me everything to bring us together. What happened was incredible, that we all formed an alliance and joined our goal for a single moment. I want to ensure that continues." Shepard, held his hands up, and begged, as well swore, "We need the alliance of every race and their ideals, and the Council needs to expand itself to not be just those races in council space. The Council must recognize all races willing to work in unity, not just against the Reapers. Yet for one another. We pulled our resources to stop the Reapers. Let's continue to pool our resources, in one sense of all."

That was the most alarming speech he gave so far. Shepard, saw the look in each Councilor's face. The Turian alone asked, "ARE you mad? Commander? What you're asking is to allow races like… The Geth? Or, the Hanar? Or… or, what about the Vorcha?"

Shepard, shook his head, and stood firm. "Everyone that wants to be a part to this, must. The Alliance is no longer only a dream of Earth. This needs to be everyone. The conflict with the Reapers is only one, and we'll still have who knows how many more to come. Races will be in desperate need of aid, but more importantly there will be many devastating turns of the future. If we don't act as one, the entire battle was for nothing."

At this, the Turian began to speak. Yet this time, someone snapped out, "He's right!" Shepard turned with a smile, as the Krogan clan leader Wrex, stormed up giving his own little smirk back to Shepard. If anyone can push as hard as Shepard? That'd be Wrex. Looking now up to the Turian, Wrex glared his competitor to a slight mandible twitch. Wrex then said, low and sure. "You pyjaks had been warned all along. I was there, when this all started, remember? When Shepard first told you about the Reapers. What did you do? Just wave him off, and say, 'Thanks for that. Now, go hunt that Spectre WE originally promoted, and while you're at it. Could you go do some small tasks, like fight the Rachni and a giant ass mutant vine?"

The Councilors share some looks. Yet, Wrex wasn't finished. Having Shepard got him a bit more emotional, or just gave him more to complain over. "So when a few MORE years passed and he died? What happened then, after he came back I mean? I recall, you blamed everything on The Geth, who am I right Shepard took care of those tin-cans now." Wrex, laughed, but stomped up a little storm anyway. "Yeah, you blew him off again. Then said you'll just wait this out. When the Reapers DID arrive? What's your response? We can't help you, until you do MORE dirty work for us! So, here! You wanna hear what I, Wrex, of clan Urdnot. Think?"

Wrex points his finger at them, and snarled out a verbal growl of indignation, "I think, you owe him every damn thing he asks. So when he says, 'Give a seat to the Council' you say, 'Yes, Mr. Shepard! Thank you, for saving our asses…'" Wrex, glared at them with a harsh reminder, "Again."

The councilors all looked at Wrex, but then heard some murmurs in the crowds. Shepard saw the sight of a few faces he knew. One, Conrad Verner himself declared that Shepard was right, and when a certain Asari Justicar exclaimed her belief that the code would agree, this only made it harder. The sight of other familiar races and leaders, those owing the Commander more than most had made it harsh to ignore.

The Asari councilor called, "Alright! Stop!" She raised her hands, those whom calmed first, were soon followed by the louder (mostly Krogan) others in midst of verbal word. "We, can see. In his wisdom." She turned, to see the nods of both a very concerned Salarian, and his resilient but knowing Turian similar. "That this matter is perhaps at it's impasse." The Asari councilor sighed, rubbing her head. "Indeed, Commander. You are correct. It is, perhaps time. That the Council opens it's arms and more importantly, positions, to the races that battled in this the most important of conflict. Thusly, we will come to this matter in time."

The Turian councilor asks, "Yet, Commander? Even if we do this. Can you answer me this question? Would the humans need… you?"

Shepard blinked, but asked, "What do you mean?"

"Well." The Turian actually requests, "Would it not be reasonable. That with your history with all these races? Perhaps, it would be wise that one such as yourself were to take the seat on the Council?"

Shepard was stunned… and actually, taken. He shook his head, saying, "I-I never thought…"

The Salarian admits, "That is very unorthodox. A Spectre turned Councilor?"

The Turian smiled, asking, "Why not? This, in it's entirety was unorthodox."

To this, the Asari smiled and quips, "Making this perhaps the most orthodox response to change, Commander?"

This, is where Commander Shepard, would need to make his greatest choice. This perhaps would define his future. Though, it would be most fitting. The one that united all these races. Would help to forge that future. It is possible he would call on another. There is the leading force of the military, Admiral Hackett that could take the place of Anderson on the council. Or even the survivor from Virmire? After this choice the Commander would be free to do any number of things. What if the Commander went person to person, talked to his friends and even encouraged a few to take a seat with him? Or, if better requested that his replacement take over so he could rebuild a home he lost. OR, to rebuild a home one he cared for lost?

In the end the truth is.

The Commander always was free to choose. That, was what made his life so compelling. It was always how his choices helped sculpt a universe. Fictional, or real. It was this illusion of choice, and how even small choices could give him the chance to live on in a happier, better galaxy. This incredible sense of sculpted fate from one soul versatile enough to challenge a cycle of dominant extinction. That gave this story so much worth repeating.

It will be that freedom and especially this telling, that gives hope for tomorrow.


	4. Party Time True DLC Ending Belief By Me

Mass Effect 3: But A Dream (Ending Story)

Disclaimer: I do not own or have any rights to representation of Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, EA Games and any other mass media trademarks within this fiction. All is represented within the context of private entertainment and the exchange of free ideals/entertainment. No attempts to falsely render said persons or members, fictitious or otherwise were intentional.

Mass Effect 3: But A Dream (Ending Story)

Chapter 3: Party Time (Original DLC Belief Ending)

Note: When completing the game in a whole. Each ending first left me confused and a little disappointed. The game played so well. The endings, while acceptable and good (by their merits they were good!)? They were, strange. I could not fathom them to what they were. How they were. I can yes understand the 'hero of time' message in there. I can easily understand the ideal of sacrifice in name of the greater good. It took me some time to eventually hear that the Indoctrination Theory was a possible and highly wished for addition. Though I never really believed it to be true. Some how Bioware had been taking this on a path which was really off from the theory. The ending I thought was 'best' for that. Was actually one revolving around the real basis of the end. The third game for what it was worth revolves more over the characters in the game, and less around Shepard. Like ME2 we were drawn into the characters, the people we were with. Which in the end that made a lot of sense! What, if. The true ending was not to be Shepard, but to be those he left behind. A DLC ending seemed more to revolve around the people Shepard left. The more enjoyable aspect of playing team mates in this DLC (Likely Liara for a biotic, James Vega for a soldier and EDI for a tech expert three main archetypes of the game, and the three characters guaranteed survival in this series.) This ending reflects this, and how I think the game would have really improved with the endings given. To properly do this for a fic end of the game would be more fun revolving around the love interest, and the final choices Shepard made. This said, the story of this chapter is going to read more direct for example, Shepard (my Shepard) was a Paragon and while he RESISTED the Paragon choice for sake of Anderson and Hackett, the Geth. This will reflect a true Paragon ending (that offers the best closure for the team 'technically' but not for poor Tali.) and the love interest in such games was Tali. It would be more interesting if perhaps Garrus, Liara or Kaidan/Ashley were the love interest (Garrus is my Renegade female shep choice, and am I happy with how awesome Garrus is for her!). This chapter also for sake of entertainment for you the readers will conflict something of a personal interest in relationships within the team after the final mission. A little 'secret' that progressively plays in this fictional telling on behalf of Tali. In other words it's not meant to be canon I HAD to try and make something interesting for readers, outside of the ending itself. A few thrown in drama snipets for Tali herself reflecting just how this Paragon ending plays to a character like hers considering the level of trauma loosing her Father has. I hope you all enjoy.

* * *

><p><strong>The Alien World<strong>

The Normandy had crashed on an unknown, uncharted planet. There was a bit of static with what systems were online. The truth remaining, everyone somehow survived. All essential and unessential crew. Then there was the land team that once worked to fight the Reapers. With Shepard.

Among these survivors one so happened to be the pilot. Joker. Jeff, as he's called. Now softly checked systems. Looking to his co pilot, EDI. Luckily she's still online, with the ship's damage it was safe to assume perhaps this platform was all that she had left. "EDI? Status report?"

EDI began to rattle off, "Propulsion is down. Nav. Point, down. FTL Communications, offline. All other forms of external array within normal means has been disposed. At this time, there are no definite matters of reconnection."

Joker sighed and shook his head. "Okay. What do we have?"

"Power is still operational. The ship can create barriers, shields and offer protective cover. There are still operational weapons systems. Scanning capabilities while still active, have minor fault on planet side. The ship also has most common functions, such as bathing and numerous needs for crew to use. However, there is a possibility that such activities will strain fuel and energy. Thus, using them sparingly is wise."

Joker now heard footsteps. "Traynor?"

Traynor, came with a slightly down look. She said, "Joker, we've done what we can. The supplies are gathered and stocked. I think we're okay for the most part. Chakwas has supplies and all. I mean, it's a bit unexpected. The worst part is, well. We're actually kind of left with a problem. Leadership."

Joker asked, "Why are you coming to me then?"

"Technically. Major Alenko is the next in succession however he's not really sure… what to do…"

Joker seemed to understand. A sigh, he leaned forward holding his head. "Yeah, I know. No one knows what to do."

Traynor then looked about, but left. Joker turned to EDI as she asked, "Jeff? Do you think that, it is safe to assume? All other crew have also followed a similar distortion of action?"

Joker seemed a bit uncertain. Then he thought aloud, "I can almost bet I know what some of the crew are doing. I know what one person is up to."

To that, EDI seemed to ask, "Do you mean,?"

"Yeah, with Shepard gone…"

A moment of silence took the two. Joker however asked, "Any movement outside?"

"Negative. The native inhabitants have not become violent. However, it is only a matter of time before life on this planet becomes hostile."

Joker just reminds her, "When that happens. Let's hope our systems are still operational. There isn't any highly intelligent life on this planet, yet you did say there was a number of unexpected moving creatures in the night right?"

"Extremely high rate. It could be any number of predators. For now, the day seems to be safe. It would be wise to begin trying to cultivate natural fauna as soon as possible. For crew use."

Joker went to trying and keeping ship functions going yet he saw something. A sudden flash, he notes the intrusion on the private deck. A cringe, Joker closes his eyes and hangs his head. He knew why someone would enter that region. Especially probably who.

* * *

><p>The private quarters. The commander's room. When it's door was pushed open the crew member entering took some time to notice the level of debris, items and such tossed about. The aquarium was intact but fish most were either dead, or the remainder seemed a bit hidden from sight. The crew member walked across the room taking note of everything out of place. Private mementos. Even at the side of the bed a picture. Her picture.<p>

Tali'zorah vas Normandy. The Quarian engineer. Tali wanted to see his room. It's been, a terrible ordeal. Knowing what has happened, how it's happened. The sense of dread was all over the ship. Tali sat on the side of the bed starting to fumble her hands in her lap. Looking down at the picture laying amidst other items. A sigh of her desperation and depression, Tali soon closed her eyes holding her visor. A sense more will only get worse came to her.

Then someone else appeared. Tali's head shot up hearing a crunch. That's where she saw Garrus Vakarian. The Turian.

"Garrus?" Tali sat up, her eyes shown with interest, a bit confusion. "Why are you here?"

Garrus shrugged but told her, "Honestly? I was just thinking of checking how bad the damage was. Not to mention, I saw you mope off a while ago and put two and two together." A chuckle, he walked in sitting on the bed with her. A look of concern, and the turian asked, "You forgot I was once a pretty good C-sec officer?"

Tali mused though, "I recall you got yourself kicked off, or left. Then joined a spectre, across the galaxy seeking a means of 'saving' the world. Universe." A sigh, she closed her eyes hanging her head. "We're now here. Shepard is…"

"Gone?"

"No." Tali, turned at him with a stare. A glare even. "He's out there. I FEEL it. We never should have left!"

Garrus sighed a bit before lowering his head, closing his eyes and just trying to not look angry. Instead, he asks, "You REALLY believe that? Or are you just trying to dilute yourself into believing it?"

Tali's response came as she sat up, and started walking out. "I believe in Shepard. Maybe, I'm the only one left."

Garrus turned up to the girl, and snapped back, "I believed in him too. That doesn't mean, that he's still out there. Something major happened. We got called back on the Normandy. We escaped that, whatever the hell it was. We're alive." Standing now as she stopped, listening. Garrus begged her this time, "Please, just don't go off all half cocked. There's a time and a place."

"From the infamous Archangel."

"Yes," Garrus, walked up to her side smiling. That toothy grin he had gave her some calm. "Which, if you recall? I needed saving since I went off half cocked then too."

Shepard seemed to be a bit like Garrus. At times. Or Garrus like Shepard? Hard to tell.

Now someone else appeared. Tali was stunned, "Liara? What are you doing…?"

Liara smiled, brightly. "I'm please. I was hoping to see you Tali. There… are things, I wanted to discuss." Garrus saw Liara looking at him. Not getting the hint, she explained, "Alone."

"Ah. Sure." Garrus, raised his hands, telling, "Well, you do that. I'm sure all this damage I'll find something that needs calibrating. Guns or just electrical supplies."

Liara waited as Garrus was gone. Now, she frowned before asking, "Tali? If… if you had a chance to keep a part of Shepard with you. Would you?"

Tali looked confused. "Of course. I… loved him."

"Yes, I know." Her eyes gently lower. A moment, she is… quiet. "Tali. It's just. There is something…"

Suddenly, Liara's Omnitool began to glow. Liara herself is amazed. "By the goddess." She checked, and smiled. "So there are signals."

Tali looked at this and asked, "What do you mean?"

Liara, soon shook her head. "Nevermind! We need to have an immediate meeting with the expedition crew. Tali, get the others in the conference room. I have urgent news!" Liara fled, leaving Tali more confused. Yet she sighed scratching her helmet and shrugging it off. Seems Liara had something important to tell the others. Tali turned back to the bed, recalling that last night. It was… magical, in it's own way. Like some kind of 'space magic', and now she just wished she could hold him a little longer.

* * *

><p>Liara stood at the front of the table. Seeing the table power up, she smiled and downloaded something. What they got, was static and garbled something. Liara said, with delight. "I have a very unexpected bit of news. We can reinstate communications."<p>

Kaidan was a little surprised, as were the others. "Wait, Liara? Are you saying we can send a message out from wherever we are?"

"Yes. Well, not yet. No." Liara explained, "As the Shadow Broker. I planned for a number of unexpected possibilities. I had invested heavily in special communications devices. With my operatives. Should ever something happen, I needed a network not dependant on that of the Reapers. The Mass Relays. In hopes of organizing a resistance. It was not easy, yet I did form a capable network though I'd never tested it." Standing firm, she gave a nod of self assurance. "Feron most likely has been trying to contact me on the new system. I believe, he plans to reinstate our communications."

Alenko actually gleamed with pride. "Wow, really! You mean, we can get back in contact with Earth?"

Liara sadly did not know that. "Well for now only other operatives will be tuned into the communications. Which luck will have it this galaxy wherever it is has no such operatives. We need to boost the signals, I have a means. I never expected to be trapped planet side, and with so limited a relay. It will require us setting listening stations on high elevated regions." With this, Liara crossed her arms giving her concerns. "We still are not sure what to expect here. However, if I am correct? This is the first bit of real good news in almost forever. We might actually be able to get some real answers about what's happened."

Everyone gave some sort of debate. Tali however had her own hopes. A part of her still had to believe Shepard was alive. Even now, he was going to show up. Saving the crew and her, with his Alliance allies. This is the chance they needed to see it through. Tali stepped forward, asking, "What do we need to do first Liara?"

Liara turned to Tali with a bit of mirth. "Well, we need to build the relays. We have some supplies in the this ship. Yet there will have to be other materials. Even some resources perhaps. It's still a bit difficult to manage through our ship." Tali seemed disheartened, yet Liara warned. "I can have one relay set in the hour. With some technical aide."

Tali seemed to want to volunteer, however. Garrus Vakarian said, "I'll do it. I need to get my mind off of things as it is, besides if we have some kind of calibrations, we know who to ask."

Kaidan threw out in jest, "Joker? Right?" A smile, and the Turian narrowed his eyes. "Whoa! Easy there, Vakarian. I was just messing with you." Kaidan felt like everyone was looking to him for some sort of support; the commander of the ship, least being a major and best ranked of officials in Alliance command. Kaidan asked Liara, so to keep this perspective "What else can we all do to prepare?"

Liara did not actually have an answer. "Well, for now. I suggest everyone keep calm, work to repair and prepare. Even should we get the relays operational. It will not guarantee a speedy retrieval."

The groups began to depart. Sadly, Liara held a stare towards Tali when she left. That was when Javik, the Prothean appeared. Javik asked, "Have you at least attempted to explain to her?"

Liara turned, startled. A sigh of relief she began to explain, "You startl- wait, what do you…?" It is here, her eyes widen and lip hung. A snarl almost ripped from her throat. "How did you find out?"

"I am a Prothean. Asari." Javik, turned down with his eyes cast. "We have a means of noticing bio-markers in organic life forms. That alone told me. However, I was amazed to sense that you took on such a matter. Without either I assume the knowledge of the Commander. Or of the Quarian."

Liara glared to the side. Then she said, "It was… necessary."

"Or was it simply your wish to make best of a possibility. Would you have ever told the Commander? What you took from him?"

Liara, glared again and said, bitterly. "I would have never hid this from Shepard!"

"Oh, but from the Quarian? Especially now?"

Liara began to stiffen her posture. A moment, she explained, "Now is not the time. After we are off this planet. I'll tell her."

Javik gave a fierce, angry glare. "I hope so. For in my cycle. To steal something from another, especially those whom are joined. There are crimes my kind hated most. Especially, in the way you came about to do it."

Liara bared some hate for him, as he left. Yet in reality it was for herself. Liara sighed forth before setting her head on the wall. There, she wanted to begin crying. However, someone caused her a start, Kaidan asked, "There something we should discuss?"

"Kaidan?" Liara, stood and shook her head. A smile, she refused to be seen like this. "I'm sorry. It was… nothing important. The mission, and our survival are paramount."

"I got that." The officer seemed suspicious though. A frown, and he looked back at the door. "Still, it just. Sits me kind of odd. He mentioned Shepard. I think?"

Liara slowly looked away. "He did. Kaidan, I have… a funny question." To this, she held her hands, looking at him a moment. "If you could hold onto something from someone. A piece of them. Make sure, that the future could have a small piece of that person. That they can live on. Would you do everything to make sure it could happen?"

Kaidan wasn't sure what this meant. However, he didn't like it. "Right, so. You mean, like a piece of Shepard? Sort of like your time capsules?"

"No. Not, exactly like this." Liara looked down. Then she, sighed. Deeply. "It… what if, you could make sure. A part of that person passed on. Physically." To this, she had a deeply saddened look. "Nevermind. This is not the time, and you're not the person to talk about this to." She walked out, and Kaidan seemed worried. Not upset, or afraid. Worried was the best way to describe it. This was going to get complicated alright. 

* * *

><p>Groups were assigned specific tasks. As the devices were completed. In one group, Tali and Garrus, along with some of the crew made their way towards a position for the device. In the team. Tali seemed a bit anxious. As she held her gun and most times asked how far the site was. Garrus took notice, since he was elected to be the team's leader.<p>

"Tali, are you alright?"

"Of course I am. We'll finally be able to communicate with others, and learn what that blue energy wave was." To this, she shook her head sighing. "I can't wait to find out what happened. If anyone was, able to survive?" That part, she sounded most anticipant.

Garrus got the idea. To this, he gave what he could for a smile. "Yeah. It'll be good to finally get some real news for once. Instead of all this second guessing."

"Real answers. Keelah, it would be a welcome change from EDI trying to make excuses for Joker."

"Excuses?" Garrus walked up to Tali, and gave a slight concerned look. "Tali, it's not his fault. None of us could have imagined what…"

"HE ran off!" Her eyes, bare a bit of hate. To then have her shotgun idly up in Garrus's stomach. "While everyone else was fighting. That boshtet decided to run. All because of some, insane blue energy. To try and 'save the crew' which, now we're stuck on an uncharted world. With no way to get back home. To see what happened to everyone else we left behind!"

Garrus seemed to look down as she noticed too her gun. Pulling it from him, she shot her head off from the Turian. Walking a few steps before he, held her elbow saying. "You didn't run from him either."

Tali, tore from Garrus glaring death to this friend of hers. "I never ran away. I would have been there to the end. If it wasn't for the ship crashing, and the fact he… he ran off so quickly, and you."

She closed her eyes now. Tali just, shook her head. Saying, "It's not my fault."

"I know." Garrus held her shoulder saying, "You're not alone in this Tali. I'm here, you understand me?" To this, she looked at him confused. Yet Garrus explained. "Whatever happens. If, we find out something has happened to Shepard. I swear, he was my friend. I won't let you, the person he cared for. Alone."

Tali seemed to get a small, bit of an idea. So she laughed, and held his chest. "Garrus. I just need you to know, if Shepard is… and you're offering what I think you are? Then, know I'd only be using you for your body."

A grin and the turian just told her, "Hey, I'm okay with that."

"I bet you would be. I'm the one taking a downgrade here." Garrus, just laughed as she sighed with a bit of a smirk. The friends work well even in stress. "Come on. We've… got a lot to do still."

* * *

><p>Liara leaned over behind Joker. Asking him, "Do you have any of them online?"<p>

Joker looked at the display telling the impatient Asari, "Well, that depends? Has it been three hours yet?"

Liara glared but, smiled asking, "How about now?"

EDI seemed to admit, "Her actions are meant to provoke you. Jeff."

"Yes, I did not know that. Thank you Edi!" Joker suddenly saw something flicker. "Wait, looks like one of the towers is online." To that, he watched the map seeing the second one. "There's the other one… looks like we're almost done."

Liara sighed deeply with this. "Thank the goddess."

Joker blinked as he heard the hailing from one of the teams. "Hey, it's Normandy. What's happened?"

The response came from the soldier, James Vega. James dropped behind the rock calling out through his Omni-tool, "Joker! We got a problem! Some kind of wild life tried to eat us. We've got ourselves in position, but we can't reach the device!"

Of course. Joker closed his eyes shaking his head, "Crap, Liara?"

Liara looked over the map saying, roughly, "We need anyone able to go and make sure the tower is up." She looked closely, "Tali, Garrus. Go to these coordinates, I'm uploading them to your nav point."

Garrus checked his coordinates and watched Tali loading her shotgun. "Tali? You alright?"

"Of course." She glared angrily. "I'm looking forward to finally putting some slugs into something. After all that's happened."

Garrus and Tali, made their way toward the nav point. Finally, coming to where the large sloth looking monster, began screaming and flailing from tree limb to tree limb. When everyone gathered, the fight came down to just blasting the oversized animal. Yet it was not alone, several were with this beast screaming and slashing while they attack.

Garrus dropped down beside James, asking, "James? What's going on?"

James cocked a new clip as he told them. "We were just about to get the thing up and running when these things attacked. Knocked the tower over. I think it needs repairs." Garrus shook his head showing how displeased this makes him. "Hey! We kept it as long as we could. The things just got territorial."

Tali asks, "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's put these things down and get the tower up!"

However, Garrus stopped her. "Tali! Stop." This, put the Quarian off. Looking around Garrus asks, "Where's Javik? Wasn't he part of this team?"

"Sure, but he's over there in cover." James motioned and they saw the particle beam firing. "Why?"

"Javik! Get over here!"

Javik turned giving a snarl of irritation, but ran over with strafing fire. When he skid to them, he asks, "What was so important! Turian?"

Garrus told them, all. "We need the tower up. Tali, you repair the tower. Me, Javik and James can handle this. That sound reasonable?"

Tali groaned but, gave a nod. She was a tech expert. Yet she'd rather have blown something away. Either way, Garrus was taking charge. Tali felt she can use some distraction. Working on this relay could be the best chance. As the monstrous life forms are pushed back Tali took to the transmitter and worked fast as she can. This reminded her now of that time on Rannoch and…. And.

Tali slowly lowered her head. The thought to the jamming towers, saving the admiral. To then save her people. Giving so much for a future she'll never get to actually have. With that in mind she slowly reached into a satchel at her side holding a simple rock. Yet, she could not describe the level of importance that had to her. It was home.

A home she believed that this war would let her see again. Foolishly, believed will be shared with another. Tali clenched her hands into fists before a deep grunt of anguish and aggression. Now she wished she had something to shoot. Yet all she got was this machine, and repairs.

Tali worked faster switching diodes, fusing small pathways and then re-wiring those wires that were if not damaged were just jostled. The gaudy work before served to be the best means of ensuring a little bump is all it took. When the relay is up however? Tali stood to see it prime and then the signals began. Out of curiosity. Tali began to connect her Omni-tool to the signals. Hearing now the voices, and clearing them up.

Liara was on. "Feron? Feron! Is that you?"

The Drell. Feron. Tali recalled, Liara had him working as her second as Shadow Broker. Now Feron was probably the 'new' broker? Feron spoke out, "I'm here. I was hoping you would have this up and running. Liara, there are a lot of things happening. I've been doing my best to keep the grid up. To ensure communications are unaffected. However, with the relays gone. There is a major chaotic state. Advanced ships can provide travel but time for travel is more and more difficult with the mass relays."

Liara's voice seemed happy, "I know. I just, it's good to hear you again. I'm going through a lot right now." Liara, now asked with her concern ever present. "Feron? After that blue wave of energy was released. What happened? Did it destroy the Reapers? Are the other forces safe?"

Feron seemed hesitant. Instead, he told Liara. "There is no hostile actions if it helps you to know. For now, the only concerns within all occupied space has been repair, sustaining life and more importantly preparing for what may still to come. I am sure you could use better news?"

"Feron? What aren't you telling me?" Liara knew better. Feron sounded not only hesitant. He sounded concerned. "Feron? Are the Reapers still active?"

This made Feron slowly whisper, "Yes…"

Tali's eyes grew wide. No. That can not be true! Shepard would have… the wave, what happened? She shook her head confused, frightened. "Feron?" Liara asks, worriedly, "Has anyone seen Shepard?"

"No."

Now Tali fell down straight to her knees. What? That's impossible! He would be straight at the front of this. She knew that. Shepard would have gotten out of the Citadel a-and led the forces straight into Reaper forces, to then take victory and salvation and-and.

Tali, closed her eyes tightly and clenched at the ground. Her Omni-tool glowing as it still took in messages. That being Liara saying, "I suppose… then, it's good. We shared what time we could." A odd sentiment, Liara had there. Yet Tali looked down at her hand, when Liara asked, "What are the Reapers doing?"

"That's the funny thing. At first, forces pulled back as Reapers began to disengage. With less losses it was assumed something happened to maybe cause the Reapers to loose control. Yet after so long they began moving and they are repairing the Mass Relays." To this, Tali was startled and confused. What? Why? "Whatever they are doing. The Reapers are repairing what damage was done when the energy was released. They have been sending out signals related to most military forces. They are 'peace' signals. Or well, cease fire signals. It makes no sense. One minute they were killing and harvesting like mad. Now it's…"

Liara wonders aloud, "Maybe a trap? A means of repairing the damage from the Crucible? Or to try and do something far worse when completed. To ensure their forces are reunited?"

"Even so. There is no way to fight them now. With the level of destruction and no hope of reinforcements. All anyone can do is wait, and watch cautiously. No ships trying to 'study' them have been shot down. Alliance ships are in fact constantly with them. Admiral Hackett is telling that the Reapers are 'pacified' and no longer violent. If that makes sense?"

Liara seemed discouraged, she asks, "How can he say that? He saw them. Reapers do not 'pacify' Goddess, he hasn't been indoctrinated has he?"

"No one knows. There is so much chaos. Even so…"

Suddenly, the message was fading in and out. Liara, called for the Drell. Yet there was a new voice.

"L-Liar-a?"

"Shepard!" Liara was alarmed, stunned and awed. "Shepard! I-Is that really you?"

Tali shook herself from the moment of alarm, now she tried to patch in on the frequency. Liara asks, "Shepard? What's happening? Where are you?"

"Lia-ra. It's compli-cated. Is the crew safe? The Norm-andy? Did it sur-vive?" His voice was crackled, warped a bit. As if being sent in a unfamiliar means. Liara seemed to notice, and she did not answer at first. "Lia-ra?"

"I- Yes, well. The Normandy crashed some where. We don't know where. As well. We are grounded."

"Did ev-ery one make it okay?"

"Of course. We had a few injured. No fatalities. Luckily, we have a capable doctor. As well military grade medical supplies have helped us be well prepared with medigel." A smile, and Tali was in the message. Liara however asks, "Shepard. Do you remember that time? Where, we said goodbye on Earth? That moment we. What we shared. I was not…. I did not tell you everything-,"

Suddenly, Tali could not wait. "Shepard!" Tali, stood and begged all her ancestors. "Shepard? Is that you?"

"Tali!" Shepard called, and Tali leaned on the device holding her chest. Keelah, it is him. It had to be him. "Tali! I-I was so worried. When the b-eam went out. I di-d not know wh-at was going to happen."

Tali gave a nod, telling Shepard. "It's okay. It's just so good to hear you again. To know you're still alive." Tali whispered into her Omni-tool. "Keelah Shepard. This whole thing has me scared. I won't see you again."

Shepard was quiet, so Tali just continued. "When this is over. I'm going to never, ever let you go. You understand! You boshtet! All this worrying. We're done fighting Reapers, Geth and Cerberus. It's over… isn't it?"

Shepard slowly came back, saying, "Yes. Tali, it's over. The Reapers won't be a problem any more."

Tali, slowly looked at her feet, that was strange. "They aren't dead though. The last I heard? They were… repairing the mass relays?"

Shepard seemed to be quiet. Which, Tali now asks, "Shepard…?"

"S-orry. I just, have a lot to think ab-out." Shepard sounded distracted alright. Yet now, he told Tali. "When this is a-ll over. You'll be back home. On Rannoch. I promise."

"With you. Of course." Tali seemed so happy at that thought. "Though, maybe we could go to Mindoir? I mean, they did rebuild. I don't care where I am. As long as I've got you Sheaprd."

Suddenly, the tower went offline. Tali turned, shouting, "No! No-no! Keelah, what's wrong?"

Then Liara called on her Omni-tool. "All ground forces report to the Normandy immediately! We need to talk, it's urgent!"

Tali looked at her tool wondering what happened. At this time, Garrus and the others were coming back just as confused. Yet they do as Liara asked. Tali soon realizing the tower was not offline, it was turned off remotely. Yet, why?

* * *

><p>Tali entered a bit off from the situation. Asking, straight up, "Why did you turn off the transmitters? We were finally able to talk to people! To Shepard!"<p>

However, Liara stood with a heavy frown arms crossed. Looking at a screen in the center conference room. "That was not Shepard."

"What?" Tali was confused. "What do you mean? It sounded exactly like him!"

Garrus now asked, "Hold on, what exactly did we all miss?" He saw Tali's confused stare, then the sad one Liara had. "Is this as bad as I'm starting to think it might be?"

Liara closed her eyes but, told Garrus what she can. "When we got the communication array online. Feron was there to talk, but he informed me of the Reapers. As well, later Shepard contacted us. Or, least someone sounded like him," Garrus looked at Tali as she began wringing her fingers. This was bad wasn't it? Liara now explained, as she tapped at her Omni-tool. "Shepard sounded strange. Almost split or a bit off. In time, I began to study the transmission. It did not make sense at all how Shepard was able to detect the message or transmission so easily." With that, Liara showed them on a screen the message. "It was then I discovered this."

Analyzing the message, first it was Shepard talking. Yet in time the wave was distorted, then it became a familiar pitched mix of noises, made from the Reapers. Liara looked at everyone's reaction when it became deathly obvious.

Kaidan was the one to ask, "It was a Reaper?"

"Yes." Liara frowned. "I am certain." She now turned to Tali who had sunk her head. "I-I am so sorry."

"Keelah." The quarian held her helmet, whispering to herself. "How could I believe…?"

"It was well masked." Liara began to admit, "If not for the message being so awry even I would believe the same."

Javik growled angrily, as he asks, "Do you mean to say the Reapers are still alive? After all that has been done? They exist!"

Liara, turned to say. "Precisely. As well the message being turned off. I am almost certain, the Reapers will be coming here." This gave everyone time to pause. Liara gave a nod, saying, "I contacted Feron while 'Shepard'," she used the name loosely. "Talked to Tali. What I gather is that the Reapers were close to finishing several of the relays already. Most primary traverse relays to the council races and even Earth. In fact, they were the most quickly repaired. When we went to Earth there were Reapers in every system. It is more than likely several in this one will be coming. We are not safe here."

Kaidan being the leader, or least the commander. Major? Whatever he was. Kaidan asks, "Well, what should we do? Try and hide?"

Javik, screamed with his fists in the air. "WE fight! Hiding solves nothing! The Reapers are coming! We have to fight."

Liara, began to argue that this was a useless battle. Yet everyone started to pipe in ideas. Kaidan, eventually getting control demands, "Everyone! ENOUGH! We can't decide now. We-we all need to just, take some time. Think things over." He saw Javik, push past him and gave a sigh of agitation. He can't help but relate. "Still. We need to make a decision. Everyone just, take time. Try and think things through."

Tali though she was torn apart. She could have sworn that was Shepard. Her Shepard. Yet it was not. It was a Reaper. Pretending to be him. This, infuriated her more. A moment though Liara came to Tali, asking, "Tali? Can we talk?"

"No." Tali, stood at the hall's end and turned, saying, "I don't want to talk to you right now. I was… happy."

Liara turned down, scratching at her chest, "I understand. It was… I was happy hearing him too."

"I know, I heard. Yet that's not what." Tali, closed her eyes and sighed. "Just, tell me. Why? Why couldn't have been him?"

Liara did not have an answer. No one could. "I'm sorry. Tali, still. I need to talk to you about something else."

Tali sighed but, "Okay… what is it Liara?"

This was where Liara grew the most nervous. As she wrung her hands like this quarian had time and time again. Liara soon shot her eyes back and forth. She had spent hours working this out best she can. Yet, now she's here. "Tali. You loved Shepard a great deal didn't you?"

"…." Tali didn't answer, her brow was crooked just enough to show how she looked at Liara for that stupid question.

"Yes. Well. I cared for Shepard too. In fact, by a certain viewpoint. It is safe to say, sometimes a bit more than others." She, stepped back though and sighed. "We shared thoughts many times over you know. You were there, during the battle with Saren. You saw me and Shepard join."

"Yes. I did." Tali didn't like this. Liara hasn't been like this since those days. So worried, and afraid as well just unable to control her own self. "Liara. What is it?"

Liara had looked away ashamed, her head hanging. To this, she said, "Tali. On Earth. I feared Shepard may have died. So I took a moment with him, to share our thoughts one last time." Tali seemed to think it through, as Liara said, "I told him that it was meant to share our most precious memories. That's true. Yet I never told Shepard it is, also. The same part to our most intimate bonding process. For some time I have been preparing for this. I… well…"

Tali then turned up her head, stunned. Her eyes wide and hands shaking, "What did you do…?"

Liara, turned to see it, first that shock. Then the horror, of knowing what happened. "Tali. I did not do it with any intent to harm you. Or him. I solely thought, if he died? How would his legacy live on?"

"You… bosh'tet!"

Tali, screamed it, as she now lost herself. Crying out, "YOU raped my Shepard!"

"It was not…" Liara, held her head, whispering, "Goddess, I knew it was a bad idea."

"Of course it was! You tricked him! So you can have his… you, you evil…"

Liara, turned at Tali with fire in her eyes. "I did what I could! I loved him. I always loved him." To that, Tali turned away shaking her head furiously. "I loved him enough to let him go! When he found YOU!"

"How DARE you say that!" Tali, pressed out a finger with a snap of venom in her voice. "After all that's happened! You dare, to not only take this from him. To stand here, and say it's all in the name of love?"

"Yes. Because I knew you could never…"

Suddenly. Tali snapped away, and held herself. Liara, hung her head bitterly aware what she said. "Goddess. Tali, I'm so sorry."

"Shut up." Tali, was softly hunched at the shoulders, hands gripped at her elbows. "Yeah, I know. I couldn't have his child. I could never be that for him. Keelah, it kills me. To know such a great man chose me, over that. Over a 'family' and future, with kids and picket fences and… all those stupid human family references I watched in the vids. Yet he did it." Tali, looked back shaking her head but some how you can just tell she's crying. Unable to see from her visor. "HE chose that. Liara. With me. You took that away from him though. That's as bad as a Reaper."

"Are you honestly comparing me, to a Reaper?"

This is where Tali says in but a hushed whisper, "Can you deny it, Shadow Broker?"

Liara held her tongue. To look down and away, knowing. In a way. Tali had a small, but realistic point. The Reapers stole who they are, what they are. Was this far from the same? Taking something from someone. Even if a choice, one of such a private and intimate one. Like to decide love, happiness and passion between two people at the deep known sacrifice of 'family' and 'children'? It was a tough call.

Liara slowly leaned on the wall saying, "I didn't want him to die. I'm sorry. If it was wrong, I know. Even going into it I had my reservations. Yet that last moment was the last chance to save a part of Shepard. If possible."

Tali, asks curiously, "I thought it didn't work that way? No genetics?"

"No. Yet somehow." Liara, looked at her side. "Well. I get the urge to head butt people."

"I got that urge too. Yet I'm not a Krogan… or, quarter one."

"Yes." A sigh and Liara wishes, "I wish I'd not done it. If it were to be so harmful."

Tali, turned away. "Liara. We can't change what has happened. Shepard taught me this much. We change what is going to happen." She shrugged, and warned. "Just, raise it well. It's part Shepard. It, I mean, she has a lot to live up to."

"I-yes, you're…" Tali walked off, and Liara frowned deeply. Soon holding her forehead as she fell herself onto some crates to sit and ponder her actions. This only reminding her, how much a betrayal it was. The old Liara would have never done this. Yet this was the new one. One that wanted so badly to save a friend, even if just a part of them. "Goddess…"

* * *

><p>Tali sat in the room of the commander. There, she was hunched over, crying. This entire matter drove her into a spiral. As she thought about Shepard and her the last moments they shared. How she wanted more time. How they were meant to find this some way, some how. A way to end the Reapers and save the universe. Instead, the Reapers are alive. Shepard is… dead. There is no question left. If they are here still and he hasn't stopped them? Then there must have been something terrible that happened to him. She only hoped he didn't feel alone, and abandoned. That he maybe thought about her in his last moments. Something like this would…<p>

Suddenly, the door opened. Tali saw Garrus walk in, asking, "Uh, hey. I was sort of in the area?"

Tali, sniffled but smiled at him. "Yeah, the one floor with one room. Just, in the area huh?"

"Yeah." He, turned his head away with a slight twitch of his mandibles, "Hah, was a stretch wasn't it?"

Tali shrugged that off. A kind of curious question, she asks, "What's your real reason you're here?"

Garrus looked back, and said coldly. "I heard what Liara said. What she did. I just thought you'd need some company."

"Why? Afraid I might do something?" Tali looked around, asking, "Afraid I'll just end this? So the Reapers won't come and do it for me? Put me out of my misery, maybe?"

Garrus now stepped forward, and snapped at her, "Don't you dare say that. Tali. You don't get the right to just give up. Even after what happened."

"OH? Why is that? Garrus?" Tali, stood, and brought herself to the taller Turian. Just glaring up at him shouting, "Don't I deserve a little peace? Maybe, I'll even find him on the other side? My people are dead for all I know. My entire culture, my race and our supposed homeworld. The universe is at the hands of the Reapers. All we did was waste our time, fighting!"

"We never wasted our time." Garrus, shot back, and told her, "We fought beside him. Every step of the way. From the fight with Saren, the Collectors and yes. We even made the Reaper invasion. So what? We have what to show for it?"

Tali, watched as Garrus walked towards the aquarium and sighed, leaning on it's glass. "What was the point…?"

Tali slowly realized he's not exactly here for her. A soft squeeze of her eyelids, and Tali came beside the turian saying, rather roughly, "Maybe there wasn't one? Other than fighting. Making that last big stand for everyone." Tali, looked as Garrus turned on her, and she smiled though he never knew. "It's what he would have wanted. So is what we're fighting for. One last stand I suppose. So long as there's one of us. He didn't die pointlessly."

"Yeah." Garrus, had to chuckle. "I suppose Shepard had that effect on people."

"More, than you'll ever know." Looking down, she slowly shook her head. "I loved… no, I love him. Even now I LOVE him. Even knowing he's gone? That he is… and I'm so alone. I still love him."

Garrus seemed to understand. This, hurt her too. To that, he admits, "He would want you happy. No matter what."

"I know that." Tali, seemed to feel his hand. To that, she looked up at his eyes. There was a bit of something there. To this, she squeezed his hand saying softly, "Yeah, I know he would. Shepard would want that. I just don't." To this, she pulled his hand, into hers and then held both. With this, Tali gave a nod of approval. "In the end. Shepard has been a lot. Yet what I find the most amazing is, he didn't leave me like my father. He didn't… Shepard, dying like he did? It hurts so much. Yet I don't hate him for it. I don't, blame him for it. I know Shepard would do whatever it took to see the future off, properly. Even if he didn't stop those bosh'tet Reapers? I know he did the best he could. Tried his best to save as many of us, as he could."

Garrus, laughed as he pulled away, crossing his arms on his chest and admitting with the memories, "Well, he did broker a partnership with my people and the krogan. As well the geth and the quarians. I think," To that, Garrus tipped his head pointing on the small woman. "that right there tells you how much he could do."

"I know. That's why I'm so confused. Why! Why are the reapers still active? What happened? What was the reason to that energy wave? Damn it! I just…" To this, she squeezed her fists, looking at them. "I have so many questions. I have so few answers. Why, why and why again is all I ask and no one tells me anything!"

Garrus softly held down one of her fists saying, "We'll find them. When we meet him again." To that, she looked up worriedly. Garrus just told Tali, "It might be sooner than later. I just, hope. When we see him? He's holding my place at the bar. Where ever he is."

Tali, was confused but Garrus smiled on a bit walking out, asking, "You coming? We should start getting the others on track. We may have Reapers coming in who knows, a few hours? Weeks?"

Tali seemed to nod. Then she just whispered, "Thank you Garrus."

Garrus, turned back and swiveled on his hips as he winked pointing toward her. "Hey, any time! Seems the least I can do for an old Friend."

* * *

><p>Several weeks later…<p>

Everyone was prepared. It was constant. There was the Normandy using what sensors it had operational. Scouts out, watching the skies. There was the fear always present. Liara, comments at times she found it strange the attack was so long in waiting, they seemed to wait for the mass relays to be online first. Perhaps the Reapers were not afraid of them being alone as they were. Liara did not contact Feron, in hopes that perhaps the Reapers hadn't tracked the message back too easily. To offer time. To prepare.

Yet it was on this day.

EDI came online. "Jeff! I have detected an unknown spatial movement nearby. In the 6th quadrant of detection. It is showing to be most likely a Reaper!"

Joker's head snapped, from his sleeping posture. Then he rushed viciously, calling out, "Normandy! All battle stations! Detection verifies, Reaper in vicinity!" He tugged his hat, whispering, "I hope we make this one count."

As the guns were aimed towards that same area. The blast ripped into the air, towards the coming form. It was in fact a Reaper. The canon did nothing much but to bounce it's leg, as the giant behemoth came in. As it stays in this region taking shots. Another alarm goes off.

Joker, looked to note, "Son of a-Liara! A Harvester just flew in low under our radar! It's going to be dropping troops!"

Liara's heart sank, as she asks, "How did it know our scanning protocols?" She checked, to see it's actually already ontop of them. "Goddess! The Reapers are attacking more organized than usual…" To this, she heard the explosion outside. The large balls of troops falling and unloading from the forces. Beginning to charge toward the Normandy in cover.

Liara looked out, shouting, "Everyone! Outside! Now! Move it!"

The fight began swift, and harsh. When the Reapers attacked their shots were with disruptor ammunition. It was unexpected, but more of their troops were sent in from the sides of the ship in a pincer movement. Making it even harder. When they shot down crew members the Reaper foot troops were coming in, dragging them away. It was confusing but even worse everyone was being taken alive.

Liara snapped viciously, "It doesn't make any sense!" She, stuck behind a rock. "Why are they taking the crew alive!"

Javik warned. "They want to harvest the crew oh the Normandy. They have come to respect our fierce combat." He laughed, saying proudly, "They will then make the mistake. So long I live? I will fight! To my last breath!" To this, he stood firing, and ducking as he destroyed another of the creatures.

Suddenly, there was a small wall of Brute class units, pressing up the hill. There, Kaidan fought alongside Garrus, Tali and EDI. As they tried to destroy the Brutes, there were others behind them. Kaidan snapped back, "Liara! These ones are using Brutes as a shield!"

Liara, looked over eyes wide. Seeing the ones behind were Cannibals. "By the goddess!" She, ran toward trying to use her biotics, a stasis field perhaps? Yet other units were pushing her and Javik farther apart. "They even know to keep us back!" She, snarled as a shot grazed her, and suddenly her barrier was torn apart. The shocking ammunition sent her screaming and thrashing to the ground. Then as Javik tried to pull her free he too was suddenly torn apart, brought down hard.

Kaidan saw this and clenched his eyes tightly. Now, he snapped, "Get to the ship! Go-Go!"

Garrus asked, "What abo-"

"DO IT!" Kaidan, ran out firing at the Brutes, and then trying to force them off course. However, the attack was not helping the cause more than just turning fire on him. Kaidan drove behind new cover of course, letting Garrus and Tali alone with EDI back on the Normandy. With some of the crew. A chuckle, and Kaidan closed his eyes shaking his head.

"I can't believe it." He slowly held his gun, whispering, "Always was a fool for my integrity."

Garrus, Tali and EDI ran for the hangar where James laid down some heavy fire with Cortez, the pilot of the shuttle usually. With him appeared to be Engineering crew Adams, Kenneth and Gabby whom Shepard brought aboard. Even with all this help. The Reapers were forcing their way here all the same. Retreating onto the Normandy cost them some of the crew that helped with the front defense. They were aware what the likelihood of 'surviving' now was. Yet everyone agreed. They might as well push the Reapers back for however long they could.

When the hangar doors closed up Tali, EDI and Garrus reached them. Inside the Hangar, James walked up asking, "How bad was it?"

Garrus, coughed as he held his back, "Agh, I got a shot in my back. Not enough to short my shields but…" he was looking to Tali. "I was kind of noticing something else." Tali looked over, confused at his own strangely confused look. "Tali, how bad did you get it?"

Tali thought back, "I don't think I… got shot?" She shook her head. "I don't think once?"

EDI confirmed, "I was aware of Tali's Shields. They did not, get shot once. There was constant direction of fire towards all other Normandy crew." Though, as Tali recognized this strange. EDI admits, "This is most likely to the tactics of the Reapers trying to capture all crew members. It is possible Tali being our only Quarian team mate. She is in fact more at risk from fire even disruptor rounds. The fact a round could damage her suit and cause contagion infection. The Reapers are directing attacks to be non-lethal."

With this, Garrus admits. "Yet we've never seen control of ground troops like this before. It's… it's unheard of."

EDI warns, "While this is true in some situations if not most. We have seen Reaper control in the form of Harbinger directly controlling their forces. Yet this is not the same. It seems more widely influenced."

Now, the hangar door was being sparked across, and James warns, "It looks like our friends aren't done yet." He turned saying, "I think they still want to come in and say 'hi' guys. We have any more plans?"

Garrus admits with some frustration. "WE don't have any plans! The plan was to hold them off, fight and die! Th-this is…" he shook his head. "We've been trying to repair this ship but there isn't enough time. This whole mess. If we hadn't tried to contact Feron maybe…"

That, sparked EDI. "Garrus!" He looked at her, "Perhaps, we can communicate to outside this planet? To warn others. The transmission towers are still operational. If the Reapers have not shown hostility to other races. As they were prior. Then they have been acting in this truce to repair the Mass Relays. For their acts of conquest. The other races should be warned, and prepared for combat."

Garrus lowered his head thinking about it. Sadly, not much else to do. It… it was something to do. To aim for. As the door was sparking off, being forced open. Garrus admits, "That's our best plan then. We need to keep them here though, and push up to the main floor."

EDI admits, "It will be as good a time to contact Jeff. I will tell him, and prepare the others." She tells Garrus. "Officer Traynor can begin trying to contact others with the device as we go. She has optimal technical knowledge."

"Right." Garrus turned to Tali as she was looking worried. "Tali? You ready?"

She gave a nod. Still. She was now aware that the Reapers took people alive. Yet were not shooting her. A bit strange… other than her being a Quarian. It could mean, they do want her alive. She shook at the thought. What could they be doing? Making a Reaper with the Normandy crew? Could… that even… she didn't want to know.

Wait… what if Shepard was…. No, she did NOT want to think that.

They ran towards the elevator as James said, "I'll hold them off!"

Tali stopped asking, "Wait! What?" She shook her head, warning, "That's…"

Adams smiled a bit, saying, "Tali. You know we have to. We all have a stake in this." To this, he gave a nod. "You know what?" He saw her worried look and this made him sigh remembering something. "I wonder? Was it his knack for talent or… was it something else?"

Tali seemed confused, but Adams shook his head. "Nevermind. Just, something I said to the Commander a while back." Turning, he saw the two officers Kenneth and Gabby salute, to which, Adams stepped back doing the same. "You go on. We'll see you soon enough."

Tali was… unsure, if she liked that idea. All in all the group of three went into the elevator. James, he smiled saying, "You give'em hell Scars."

"Yeah, you too. Kid."

Laughing a bit, James then said, "Yo, Sparks?" Tali turned up blinking at him. "You just know. If it wasn't for you and Loco? I'd totally have given you a chance." Setting his gun with inferno rounds, he whistled to implicate things.

Tali narrowed her eyes, and crossed her arms just giving him one nasty look. "Well, in that case. Know this. YOU never had a CHANCE."

As the door closed, James yowled out, "Aww! Come on! That's uncalled for!"

The elevator led to the main bridge. Garrus, turned as Tali giggled. "What is it?"

"Just, nostalgia." She turned, asking, "You remember all those talks on the elevator fighting with Saren?"

"Yeah." Garrus, smirked inwardly. "I also remember you have a shotgun."

"Yeah." Tali, slowly hung her head. "I still do. Don't I?"

EDI stood still, and eventually asks, "What does this have to mean?"

The two share some chuckles at the expense of the machine. Just a little something for them.

* * *

><p>Stepping out, two marines hold the door. The one, sighing and stepping back as Garrus passed her. "Well it beats watching a door."<p>

"Oh yeah. Definitely, a elevator. We sure moved up in the ranks here."

"Well don't forget it IS an elevator. With Reapers coming."

"Uh, yeah? That's supposed to… never mind."

Garrus, came to Joke whom was holding the door, with a assault rifle. He asks, "Where's Traynor?"

"She's at the CIC trying to patch into the transmitter. Liara left the thing in her room. Hindsight, being our only working form of communication? Yeah, it might have been nice trying to keep that on the bridge." He shrugged, as Garrus sighed shaking his head. "Aw, come on. You live for this stuff."

"Yeah, but now I'm going to…" Garrus, looked at Joker looking worried. "Don't worry. We'll get it."

Turning around, Garrus calls, "Alright. Let's get to the CIC now. We can see how Traynor is doing."

EDI however stood to Joker. "Jeff? Are you coming?"

Joker, shook his head saying. "You go. I'll stay here, hold them off a little longer."

"Jeff. That." He glared, but she smiled. "I am not going. I choose, here."

"No, you go. I'll-"

EDI however held his lips, and said, plainly. "I am the Normandy. It does not matter where this platform is. So if I choose to be here, I will be here. With you. Jeff."

Joker looked at her and slowly limped closer, pressing his forehead to hers. A sigh as he lowered his gun. "I'm sorry EDI."

"For what? Jeff?"

"I-I never should have…" Joker, closed his eyes shaking his head. "I wanted to protect you. The ship. The crew. I panicked and… I…" He felt her holding him, to which he smiled, "I screwed up."

"No. You did not." EDI gave a nod, saying, "You did what you believed to be right. Shepard would have been proud."

Garrus and Tali were now alone, moving toward the CIC. When they left, there was someone screaming that the elevator doors are opening. Gunfire now. Garrus and Tali ran fast into the last room where now, they found Traynor trying to re-wire the CIC for communications. Garrus asked, "Traynor? What have you got?"

The woman, popped out saying. "I think it's set but…" Suddenly, the doors were being banged on. There sounded to be Husks on the other end. Garrus turned, shouting, "Figures! Tali!" Tali held up her gun. "Do you think you can help Traynor?"

Tali looked confused, "What? Why?"

"I'll hold them off." He stood behind the war map, saying. "I can make a few shots count…"

Tali winced and gave a fast nod, shifting to the device. It was honestly close to calibration. As they do this, Traynor screams out 'eureka' when she heard the CIC prime up. As the two women stand, the door opened with husks charging in. Garrus shot one, then three with the same shot. He began to fire his sniper rifle as Traynor grabbed an assault rifle and fired into the mass of husks. Tali, grabbed her shotgun, but the CIC turned on with a holographic image.

"Tali?"

Tali stopped, stunned and awed a bit. "S-Shepard?"

Shepard stood as the image. He, said softly. "I thought maybe by now. I wasn't sure. I just, Tali…" Tali, heard a scream from Traynor. Turning, she saw the Husks swarming Garrus, and dragging Traynor off. Tali pushed up on the wall panting heavily as she held her pistol shakily. Popping out, shooting the husks on Garrus, letting him push them off and slam his rifle across the next one.

Shepard then said. "Tali. Listen to me. I know, it doesn't make any sense… but…"

"You're not Shepard." Tali, snarled out with her next shot. "You're a Reaper. Pretending to be him."

The projection is silent, and then asks, "How did you come to that conclusion?"

"Liara found it in the message. She found it was a Reaper signal."

To that, Shepard closed his eyes, whispering. "Liara always was smart. Yet she makes mistakes."

Tali, fired the last round of her pistol and turned to her shotgun, standing at the entrance to the CIC, Garrus screamed as she shot a husk trying to yank his arm, and pin him again. Garrus was fighting hard, as was Tali… but, they were not swarming her. It made no sense?

"I don't care!" Tali, turned to the projection shouting, "Whatever you are! It's not real! Shepard is dead! YOU TOOK HIM FROM ME!" Firing the last round she had. Tali, screamed as she grabbed her ankle, her knife. With it she charged in anger boiling over. With a savagery like a krogan she stabbed violently into the face, throat or stomach of any husk she may. In the chaos, Garrus was dragged off punching all the way. Now, the Husks swarmed Tali. It was not long, but then she was pushed down, held and then taken away screaming in rage. All of these monsters destroyed everything. She knew it. Even Shepard.

They destroyed her lover.

* * *

><p>"where am I?"<p>

"it's dark."

"keelah? Is this…?"

Suddenly, there is a light. Tali turned seeing this… glowing, white formation of a man. To which, she stood confused. Then it was Shepard. Tali lowered her head, asking, "Am I… dead?"

This Shepard smiled, and came closer saying. "No you're not."

"That means worse, you're that Reaper." Tali, clenched her teeth. "You have no soul."

To that Shepard asks, "You mean like your people thought the Geth? Until, we stopped them on Rannoch… I remember, at the end. You told Legion. He had a soul."

Tali, looked at the projection curiously. Yet, she shook her head. "That could have been in a Geth server. Or something."

To that, Shepard looked back to think. Then, he asks, "Well, what about? Do you still have what I gave you on Rannoch?" Tali lowered her head to a pocket, thinking she knew what he meant. A smile, and Shepard says, "You told me your people have lived keeping their homes with them. That, was my promise Tali. To make sure you had a home."

Tali seemed startled and confused. "B-but… Shepard…?" She, closed her eyes whispering, "No, it can't be. You couldn't be…?" She then, looked closely. It, looked like him. Sounded like him. Can it be? "Sheapard…?"

To that, he frowned asking, "Is it so hard to believe I'm here?"

"The Reapers are still alive. They still are, moving. Destroying everything."

Shepard closed his eyes, and said roughly, "Not any more. The Reapers are… under control."

"How?" Then, she thought to the light. "Wait? The blue light." Shepard seemed saddened, but gave a nod. "That was some kind of control beam or, wave. It reprogrammed them didn't it? Oh, Keelah." Tali, stepped closer, proud and so happy. "You mean you have control over the Reapers?"

Shepard seemed to nod, and smiled back. "I do."

"That's why you're…" Tali, laughed, and clunk her helmet, "AGH! I can't believe I didn't see it sooner. Shepard, you took control of them. I mean, sure… that, isn't what we all planned. Yet you did it. YOU did it! You took control of them. So you can use them, to protect the galaxy." Tali came over hugging him. Tightly, she held him. Yet she felt no warmth or such. Even as he hugged her.

Tali sighed though. "Well good. When we get back. You can hand over control to Hackett or Anderson, then you can come back with me. To Rannoch. Or wait, what about Mindoir? I could become a colony wife. I doubt it'll be as bad as this."

Shepard whispered, softly, "Tali…"

"Or, well. Anything really. So long as we don't have Reapers or Collectors, causing more trouble. Those days are over Shepard." To that, she hugged him tighter, feeling still no warmth. Or softness. "I don't want any more fighting. Or death…"

"Tali…"

Tali, clenched tighter, "And if you are… there…" her eyes, felt the tears. "I don't have to let go. Shepard."

His hands, held her back as he whispered, "Tali. I'm sorry."

"…" Tali looked up slowly. "Don't do this."

"I-I can't, stop. What has happened already."

"No. Don't." She, shook a little. To then beg him, "Please, don't do this to me. Like my father. Please, you're better than this. You were always so much better than this."

Shepard looked down with a sad, heavy face. Having to know what he is to tell her. "Tali, I can't go back with you. It's… complicated."

"No, it's not. You just go back with me. Or I go with you?"

"No." To that, he was stern, and authorative. "You can't come with me."

"Why not? Where are you going that I can't follow?"

Shepard slowly pulled her arms off him, and held her hands. A smile, and he told her gently, "Where I'm going is not important. You just need to know. I love you." She, bit back the tears and that heavy ball in her throat. "I always did. Even back when we first met, I had to admit your plucky personality won me over. It's now, so much more. Tali." Shepard then gave a nod, and told her. "You're going to need to live for the both of us."

"Both of us…?" Tali, shook more, as she asks, "Shepard… what happened…?"

Soon, he frowned. "I want to tell you. I do. I just… I can't do it, it's so…"

"Shepard. Please. I love you."

With that, she pulled his cheek, and removed her mask. A moment, her lips touched his. Then she realized this coldness was not just his. Tali stepped back looking at herself. She, was not 'real' here. She was like him, a projection. Looking at Shepard. She shook in place, asking, "You're not only just controlling them…?"

To that, Shepard slowly closed his eyes, and shook his head no. Then he turned, slowly. "We're here."

"… where?"

"Home." To that, he turned telling her softly. "Tali. I love you. Please, don't forget. Keelah se'lai."

The world of darkness began to fizzle out. Tali, screamed out as she felt this, warmth. "I don't have a homeworld! Not without-!"

* * *

><p>The world was of noise and light. Soon, ships and more. Tali's eyes flutter open to the large, strange formation above her moving slowly away, shadowing her and those it left. Tali sat up to look strangely at the giant Reaper. It was Harbinger.<p>

Suddenly, she heard someone, calling for her. Tali stood and looked at Garrus holding his sides, feeling fine but winded. The rest of the crew were here too. Everyone looking at the Reaper as it walked over them. Sparking a blue beam that left more crew on the ground. Behind them, the Normandy was set, broken but perhaps carried by the Reaper? They were in a large valley of some kind. Where, then the Alliance medical teams began to come in. Off jeeps and shuttles.

Admiral Hackett came ahead of them all. Walking to Liara, whom asks first, "What in the name of the goddess…?"

Hackett stood firm, and looked up at the Reaper as it walked away. "You were rescued and brought to Earth. We're in Vancouver."

Kaidan asks, "Wait… Vancouver?" He looked around, coughing and realizing. "I know this place. I… I live near here. I mean, well, we have a house about here?"

Hackett gave a nod, saying, "Yes. That's why Shepard-he… it's why, this place was chosen. It's kind of complicated."

Questions are bouncing off left and right. Everyone had them. Tali stood theough as Harbinger turned towards them, with blue glowing orbs where once those golden ones were. In fact the reaper had a blue glow to it now. Tali stood there, looking at it. Looking straight at the large machine as it seemed to be looking at her. It was a long silence between them both.

As Harbinger pulled his legs upwards bellowing as those Reapers do. Tali stood in the whipping air seeming to look off into the distance. Garrus took notice, and asks worriedly, "Are you okay?"

Tali, said it at a whisper the first time. So Garrus asks, "What was that?"

"It's him."

She said louder. Garrus turned up confused at the Reaper while it slowly vanished. Then, he thought back. It's how it was, working a C-sec. Things begin to 'fall' into place. To that, he let his jaw drop and look up slowly. A shake of his head and Garrus asks. "You can't be serious?"

Tali just hung her head. "I am." She soon turned around, seeing the others looking at her, hearing her. Some looking at the Reaper. "Keelah, I wish I wasn't."

The rest of the time was spent talking and debating. On what to do. What must be done. How to handle the return. To keep the secret of the 'Reapers' for now. For Tali? It was not important.

She. Lost everything. The Galaxy was saved. Yet she lost a great deal more. It was a sacrifice that sadly had to happen it seems. Looking up one more time Tali whispers, "I love you. No matter what. Keelah se'lai."

End Note: This story is not a work of love. It takes a lot out of myself to write it. More than any other piece. Between the depression of the ideas and the still awaited 'extended cut' this project is the hardest I've ever done. I hope everyone enjoys the wide array of tastes. Keep reading. A few good chapters still to come! For those wondering? I am purposefully not saying what happens long-term to all the races. Later in that will be touched upon.


	5. Salvation Through Destruction Reaper Win

Mass Effect 3: But A Dream (Ending Story)

Disclaimer: I do not own or have any rights to representation of Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, EA Games and any other mass media trademarks within this fiction. All is represented within the context of private entertainment and the exchange of free ideals/entertainment. No attempts to falsely render said persons or members, fictitious or otherwise were intentional.

Mass Effect 3: But A Dream (Ending Story)

Chapter 4: Salvation Through Destruction (Reaper Victory)

Note: When this project started my plans were Chapters A/B a continued ending with an alternative choice. Chapter C: Continued story from end of ME3 jungle, Chapter D: Re-write of ME3 Ending with 'Space Magic' and a 'N7 Pony' (Won't do this as it sort of defeats the seriousness of this project now) and finally Chapter E: The Indoctrination Theory reloaded with in-game innuendo and ideas as well additions of what fans told me they wanted to see in the end game. However, in my travels? I came across a picture that truly hit me and made me think of how amazing the last stand of some characters would be. Tali (my personal favorite for the depth of Quarian story in ME1, her personality in ME2, and fully romance able through her play in ME3) always set best in my mind as strong but often she's seen as quiet, held back and so on. Yet we do see her aggression at the end of her father's death, a slight bit off and on. What would happen in the final throws of the Reapers? The picture showed Tali (to me) in ways that spoke to me. Which is what art is meant to do. So this chapter is the newest installment. A addition to replace 'Space Magic' and honestly it sings to me. The image I mention is linked on my profile, please check out this artist whom does a great deal of work, and has a most incredible ability. Also this chapter again is revolved around Tali not Shepard fully. For the better. I'll add Tali to characters since I have to seeing two chapters revolve over her now as much as Shepard.

You MAY search fro the artist Ma-rin on Deviantart or see my profile for her links. Respectfully, this chapter would never have been added if not for her.

**Earth…**

There was no battle like that raging over this planet now in the history of the races involved. If one can even fathom the level of need or necessity. It would still boggle the mind. To know that the Krogan whom were for many years "sterilized" in name of peace, by Salarian and Turian military minds now fought in the same blasted alliance. Or the idea of the Geth and the Quarians, the synthetics made by their creators solely to then be turned upon. Those two races at war, it was over thanks to him choosing to spare her people but sadly sacrifice the Geth. Thanks to. To him.

This was thanks to Shepard. To the man that pushed through these enemy forces from Palaven, Tuchanka, and even her own home world (to which she can mean it again) Rannoch. Tali'zorah nar Rayya, vas Neema, vas Normandy and in turn, vas Rannoch. There was not a lot she can tell other than as Anderson and Shepard are talking on this shuttle heading for the Reapers. That when it's thanks to the universe, it's thanks to Shepard. There would be no alliance and resistance here if not for the warnings and all that has come.

Yet, was that enough? She had to believe it was. Tali seemed to look at Shepard knowing he will do it. This is his desire. His strive. She was going to be with him, to the last. At each step. No matter what.

Nothing, will change that.

Suddenly, the ship they were on shook and alarms went off. A crash of some sort. The group gathered became separated but as everyone got out, Tali and the team member with them, Garrus Vakarian a certain turian agent helped her out. The sight ahead was amazing. There the gate to their destination and hope for survival lay. Yes, as well did Harbinger the largest, most powerful of the Reaper forces so far.

"Would you look at that." Garrus watched, his eye glancing at Harbinger. "It's even bigger than the usual ones."

Tali, did not care. For now, she saw Shepard run over the edge without her. "Shepard!" She, came running behind him. Garrus most likely with her. It was an insane, mad dash for the portal. Everyone was just blindly running across a expanse of ground toward a portal that may lead to salvation or destruction. As everyone ran, the giant Reaper fired a beam of red light that tore the dirt apart, and blew ship or man away like toys.

As they grew closer. Tali cried out, feeling the beam almost shatter her. It kept firing at the forces around them. Just as little effort really as waving away flies. The power it held truly a remarkable force. Yet this was not going to stop them. Even now, she saw Shepard ahead of most closing on that portal. Though all of a sudden there, the monstrous Reaper fired a beam toward Shepard and this was when time came to a crawling, slow pace. Tali herself stopped running and stood in slight horror and alarm.

When that beam ended, she watched amidst the destruction for Shepard. Yet, she did not see him. Especially as yet another beam of light fired now, across the ground before her and threw her, far back towards some wreckage of a turned over Mako tank. What happened then, was her suit giving readings. Several suit punctures. A number of open wounds. As well, biotics firing into her veins. Yet the blast threw her hard, and it made her gasp up from the feel in her throat. Tali's eyes faded in and out before a moment, darkness.

'Keelah.'

'Shepard…'

'No, no you-you wouldn't. You couldn't die, not like this.'

'I can't die. Like this.'

Tali's head was ringing. There was no more explosions. The world still foggy, a little hazy. Dust was falling from the destruction near her. Tali stood and gasped as her stomach ached.

Shifting her shotgun to her other hand Tali held her stomach with her right, and felt the sting over her left rib. A shiver across her form as she knew blood was seeping from a wound. Still she was… alive, and biotics will help. Stepping forth the quarian looked up trying to make out what's happening. She saw part of her hood from her cracked visor now flapping ripped by the explosion. Her face turned to see that her sash like wrap on her leg was ripped, skirted portion the same along her hips. This was mostly superficial. She groaned before shifting her hips uneasily and gasping air.

Tali's hand switched her shotgun back and she held it, bracing her lower abdomen with the hard metal. Looking as she saw the devastation. Everyone was gone. They were… dead. It's impossible… this is it, all over. Everyone is gone.

Harbinger lifted off, most likely to take the retreating forces. To try and stop them, from gathering to make another push. It would never take to believe after all this it did. It failed to stop one quarian. Luck of the draw. She might be able to make it? Even if she did. What is she going to do?

Tali groaned before making a few steps forward. As she shuffled her uneven form across this dead terrain. Tali's cracked visor turned toward the portal, because of gunfire. Her eyes look down at the one form, hunched and bloody. Making a push toward the portal. It… it can't be. It is, it was. IT IS! Shooting, through three husks.

"S-Shepard!" She was, ecstatic. It is him. It's Shepard. Tali gasped before a nod, knowing it's time. This was the last push and Shepard needed her more than ever. Running even with the pain in every fiber of her being. Tali snarled as her left leg fell in on itself and she just jumbled from that fall, to a sprint towards the portal. Or better, Shepard.

Shepard now walked toward the portal slowly and in what had to be more pain that she knew. Hobbled as it were, Shepard limped across with gun drawn. Yet as he began to pass a collection of debris or rock, or whatever, a figure loomed out from behind. Shots rang out, and Shepard faltered back. Tali herself came to a slowed stop as she watched Shepard be shot, and stumble. With her eyes wide, and horrified the quarian saw Shepard suddenly falter on backward with his gun falling from his hand. No.

No…

NO!

NO!

Tali, charged as the figure came forward. A Marauder, Shields fully intact. The Marauder came closer to the downed human. There it garbled like they do, aiming it's rifle down on the man that made it all this way just to be gunned down by it. As if a sort of twist of fate. A putrid twist that left a single Marauder standing over the man that united the galaxy and now preparing to gun this weakened man down like a rabid varren.

She can't allow that.

"Get away from him!" The Marauder's head snapped up with a grumble once more. Then Tali used her shield drain ability, to force the creature to jump back sparking with the overload of his shields. In a moment, the screaming quarian woman ignored any pain with her shotgun pulled back. Then she swung hard and fast straight into the beast's face. Throwing it back, sending it reeling down painfully hard.

Tali stood there, gasping, panting and heaving her ached form. Turning back to the sputtering sound of someone. Tali's eyes curve upward under her visor as she turned back grabbing his hand. "Shepard? Keelah! Shepard!" She looked, he was wounded. His shields were gone. She looked, tried to get to his medigel but his Omni-tool was ruined. As was most his armor. Tali shook her head crying, "Don't die. Don't you dare die on me!"

As she grabbed his arms, dragging him to the side. Tali heard Shepard scream in pain, "I'm sorry! J-just, hold on!"

Then, sure he's… safe. She looked around. She had to think. Tali had to…

A red cross. That's it. She looked, and saw one the dead with that cross. She ran, stumbled even as her own injuries were opening worse from her movement. Tali didn't stop though as she grabbed the dead man, pulling off him a strap of frag grenades he had as well the first aid kit. Tali turned then to run and be greeted with gun fire.

"Argh!" Tali, felt her shields go down. Rolling, she dropped on her stomach turning back up to see that Marauder. Again. This time, it grumbled and ducked behind cover. Tali's anger boiled as she snarled grabbing her shotgun and charging straight for that monster. When it pulled from cover, she was charging like a krogan. The Marauder in some facet stood blinking. Then fired, only to have her jump him after a round shot through her shoulder. When they tussled. Tali screamed while she held her gun up and under the beast's chin. Fires of the wreckage and death burning brightly as the Marauder's head arched up, and even if no longer what he was before fear showed, the sheer knowing what came next.

"You shot my boyfriend." Her finger, pulled the trigger. The refuse of the blast that basically disintegrated it's head. Splattering across her cracked, worn visor. Tali's voice cracked, while she finished, "bosh'tet."

Sitting there over the dead thing. Tali pulled up her shotgun and gasped as her stomach ached once more. Then she got up, and stood seeing Shepard leaning on some rocks. She ran to him, saying, "I got it. I got medigel!"

Shepard, winced. Looking at her. Seeing her now. Broken visor, torn hood and sash. Shepard gasped up some of his blood as she began to try and apply the medigel. "T-Tali." His voice, hoarse it seemed.

"I'm here." She moved her hand, under his chin to nod at his vision on her. "Shh, it's okay. We're here. We can make it. I just, I need to get you up and moving first."

Shepard winced though and held her hand from his wound. "No. It is over." He coughed, looking up at the sky. With that he admits, "I can't move any more. Medigel isn't going to help."

Tali looked at Shepard seeing now just how severe it was. Shepard has been shot. He's been blasted by a Reaper. Yet now. She saw something else in his eyes. "Shepard…?"

"I betrayed my friends." Shepard narrowed his eyes. "I sabotaged the cure Tali. I killed Wrex." Softly, he leaned forward, whispering, "I betrayed Legion and the Geth. My friends. People I cared about died all because…"

Tali, swiftly held his chin. Saying to him. "That's not your fault. You had to do it. The Geth were too dangerous as allies. The Reapers…"

"Do we know that?" A sneer, he looked straight into her face from that visor. "DO we know that? Now? Or that the Krogan with Wrex's help couldn't…" he just, coughed again grabbing his side. This pain was… intense. "It's over. I knew, we didn't have enough… I couldn't bring enough…"

"You." Tali, strongly held his neck. As she glared back at him. "Did everything that you could. To stop them."

"But it wasn't enough."

"I… I know." Tali closed her eyes, and whispered softly, "I know."

Shepard looked at Tali and sighed, heavily. "I wish I didn't bring you."

"Why? I'd be dead any way."

"I mean…" He was silent, and whispered, "I wish, I never brought you into this. On the Normandy. Three years ago."

Tali, narrowed her eyes. "Right… and then what about Freedom's Progress?"

"Well." Shepard smiled, telling her. "Maybe, you would have never joined me?"

Tali just told him as she held his neck, and touched his forehead to her own helmet. "Keelah. You never did get it. I would have followed you no matter what."

Shepard soon gave a slight chuckle, but the pain. Now he looked at the portal. "You could still make it."

Tali looked at Shepard, and told him. "I don't… Shepard," now, she sat back letting go of her stomach. The wound has ripped open and in turn she was bleeding out. A whisper, "I can't leave you. Remember? I said, we're together. Nothing will take us apart."

"Tali." Shepard frowned at this. To hold her neck but, a faint glow was in his eyes. "I-I realized. I said, keelah'selai. I never… actually said…"

"I know." Tali smiled, and gave a nod. Just then, a loud bellow came from above. Tali looked back as the red glow of a Reaper was seen. Harbinger returned. Glaring, she squeezed her hand on Shepard's shoulder. "Shepard. We have to go."

Turning, she looked at him. Tali's face grew flat, and paled. There he slumped forward from the neck. Bleeding as he was. Tali's eyes then prick up as she asks, "Shepard?"

Shaking him a little. She whimpers ever so slightly. He wasn't responding. Let alone was he trying to any more. Tali closed her eyes and let her head roll back a little. She wanted to scream but she can't. It's just too much to even scream now. Instead she looked at his face looking the most peaceful in perhaps forever.

Her own hand now held the wound on her stomach. A weakened mind seemed to flutter in her head. As she wondered, should she just crawl up beside him? Bleed out… and die? Tali looked at the portal. She can try and get in. Stop this. However, this wound and the level she's already bout against near death. She didn't have much more left. She didn't have enough especially now. If he was gone…?

Then the moaning wails of the husks. The guttural growls of the cannibals. Tali looked back seeing the shadows moving towards the dead, dragging them towards that portal for who knew what purpose…

"No." Tali narrowed her eyes. Looking back at Shepard. Tali, smiled before a hand pulled at her visor flakes of the glass cracking off to the ground. When she removed it, her hands then pulled off her scarf hood, and the helmet she let fall. Her long hair in a breeze. As her iridescent eyes glow looking at him. With her eyes. As well her face. Tali gently lift his head as the noises were getting closer, husk or cannibal perhaps seeing them.

'I want more time.'

As Tali let her lips touch those of her commander. A final time. Her one hand held his chin. Yet the other, was on the belt of explosives. Which at this time began to glow as before then, the explosions that shattered what bodies would have been taken by the Reapers. Wherever he went, she would follow. Yet their bodies won't be left for those monsters.

* * *

><p>The forces of space were not aware of the efforts of the last party on Earth. Though they fight on. As the Reapers decimate what is gathered. The forces of humanity, quarian, krogan and salarian as well turian went on fighting. Every race that welcomed the chance was here. Any one able would make their mark. Though this mark would be only today.<p>

In the coming passage. The forces would be debris. Soon the Reapers fly forward crushing that same debris. Of ships and their remnants, like that of the Normandy floating as graves for those lost. The Reapers merely press forward and fly straight into the mass relays and then, toward their next destinations. The cycle went on. The Reapers were unattested. The universe, fell.

For it was their will.

* * *

><p><strong>Several Hundred Years Later…<strong>

Planet Eletania. This world was once a home of the Pyjak that though primitives in their own right. Were a colonized people of their early stages. Visited by strange beings of metal and such at a time. There is but one that now as it dug in the dirt for some root of plant it deemed 'sweet' the creature suddenly heard a 'tink' to his digging tool. They were now in an early age of colonial life. The race grew slowly but surely. As they were such a widely spread species thanks to ships of the last cycle. The ones born here were naturally free to evolve as they should afterwards.

This one however was unaware what he found. When he dug no longer for the root. It figured selling this whatever it was to the city could be profitable. He pulled out a funny looking metallic 'box' of sort that he now held in his hands. Upon stroking it's design. The box, opened up. Then the pyjak jumped back as glowing lights flashed from inside.

What it saw, was a galaxy projected outward. Then a figure in the device. That was a creature, like himself yet taller and stranger still. The funny looking creature, shaped like him but resembled the paintings some his people had made in earlier days. Of the same strange armored pyjak with that odd markings, of the 'N7' that, even then confused most his kind why it was fighting with the strange metal Cyclopes for a box from the sky. Even so. The image faded.

Then the pyjak moved closer as the image shown made that of another. As the pyjak spoke his alarmed confusion, the image took on a rounded form of a VI. That then, spoke to him in the similar dialect.

"Greetings. I am Glyph. It is a pleasure to meet you."

The pyjak stood stunned as it spoke a language, it knew. Asking how, the 'glyph' explained.

"In part of my design. I am a fully functioning database of knowledge able to transmit my knowledge to any and all races as needed. With understanding of substantial dialect and speech through not only races from the last cycle. Yet assisted by the prothean and his knowledge, Dr. T'soni insured that my abilities to…"

The pyjak finally began to just try and close the box. In hopes, he can maybe sell it even with all that talk. Even so, Glyph was not completely finished.

"As was part of my design. I will be happy to assist you with any questions you may have. In order, to give your cycle what knowledge it will need. In the coming Reaper invasion."

The pyjak now looked curiously at the odd machine. As it shook this thing. What was it talking about now? In any case. It took the box under his arm and began to get a move on. Whatever this thing is, it must be worth some money. Taking with him the first chance of salvation. Even though it came through the ghosts of the past, now watching and hoping the future will be more fortunate. Especially two that were just as hopeful that the future they could have had will be there for others to enjoy. A future of peace. A future with more time. For all organic life.

End Note: Deep thanks to Ma-rin for approval of a chapter based off her image. As well hopefully continued work with their art. Again please see their art. Links are above. One chapter left and it's a big one. Those curious, this chapter represented having too low a galactic readiness/force, hence why I mentioned Shepard betrayed Wrex and even the Geth that seemed fitting.


	6. Epic Visionary Indoctrination Theory END

Mass Effect 3: But A Dream (Ending Story)

Disclaimer: I do not own or have any rights to representation of Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, EA Games and any other mass media trademarks within this fiction. All is represented within the context of private entertainment and the exchange of free ideals/entertainment. No attempts to falsely render said persons or members, fictitious or otherwise were intentional.

Mass Effect 3: But A Dream (Ending Story)

Chapter 5: Epic Visionary (Indoctrination Theory)

Note: This is a fictional piece. A piece that is meant not to negate the amazing work on behalf of Bioware. Thanks to them, and as of June 26th, Mass Effect 3 has a greater, more in depth epilogue and yes it has the level of closure and rewarding feel we all truly needed (though not all wanted). I wish that this had been with the original release and yet, if it had been? Would all that's come from it have happened? So many great and talented people drove themselves to create something in the absence of the game's conclusion. There is something to admire in that. For all the flak sent to Bioware. This is a genuine dealing of praise on behalf of myself.

This Final chapter is, and every bit of a creation of fandom. For the series. For the people that I spoke to. For those out there that came up with amazing ideas. It is not a better ending. It's just, a fictional telling. Bioware has offered a strong, and now suitable ending.

This chapter had these main goals: Improve/Encourage Indoctrination Theory, Use Assets in War, Explain 'Destroy Option' in dream, Take info in game to twists in chapter (Betrayal, Choice of Conduit Team Garrus/Tali, Shepard and the Catalyst), explain Illusive Man actions, flesh out Catalyst, make a formidable final conflict boss, encourage refuse and finally reuse previous choices, with better reasoning of game archetypes.

This is But A Dream, we all have at least one. I hope you enjoy it.

**Earth… The Conduit… Crash Site…**

Shepard felt his body jerking violently. The world he was in seemed to be, shifting. There was something off about this. When he chose the desire to destroy the Reaper forces. To make sure that the enemy that has endangered the universe was gone. As each mass relay blew apart, it was like something in his head was burning and sparking aware again shifting his own mind, burning out something in his brain. Then as these visions that he did not have any idea why he was aware of… just, he just… just…

"Hahhhh!" Shepard's eyes open, with the pain. The sudden shift of his body. A groan, and he sat up slowly before someone called out his name, in a foggy haze. The voice was familiar…

"Shepard!"

Shepard sat up in the debris gasping with pain. Shifting again when he turned, as he heard the man again. "Shepard! Where the hell are you?"

Shepard now snapped back, "Over here!" The man calling him, was Anderson. The leader of the resistance. Running to him, Shepard growled as he was being pulled up swiftly. "Where are we? What happened?"

Anderson sighed a bit, telling Shepard. "The Reapers blocked the shuttles. They shot ours down, the crash was pretty harsh. We all abandoned the shuttle during descent." He narrowed his eyes, asking, "You don't remember jumping out? Straight into Reaper fire?"

"No." Shepard looked now as another man was with Anderson. Major Coats?"

Coats cocks his gun, saying, "Yes, Commander?"

"I just… you ordered us from the portal. You said everyone was gone."

"Commander…?" Coats was, confused. Yet Anderson looked out toward the portal. A frown, and he pulled out some binoculars.

"Damn it." Shepard came over, seeing the reaper forces mostly all ground units at the portal. The ones here, pulling people from the crashed ships. "Shepard. They started capturing anyone from the shuttles. I think they were looking for something."

"Looking for something?" Shepard narrowed his eyes, "Or some one. Where's my team?"

"Dropped with the shuttle." Anderson turned back admitting, "If they were lucky they weren't captured. I can't imagine what horrors might be inside for the survivors."

Shepard looked as this did complicate things. "Where is Harbinger? Wasn't it supposed to be here?"

"No idea. It might be attacking other ships and transports on route." Anderson glared at the ground forces of Reapers. "We need to get to that portal."

Coats seemed to admit, "There's no way we can with just the three of us. It would take a miracle."

"Not likely we can get one of those right about now." Anderson basically mused from the sheer fact, there is no luck in their future.

Shepard though, he just smiled as he asks, "Haven't you read any of my reports? I forced a team of three through Illos! I think I can navigate us inside there."

Anderson watched as Shepard grabbed his assault rifle. A smirk, and the old soldier admits, "Just like old times then?"

The three now jump over the ridge. Where it looked open, there was a great deal of rock and debris. The three pushed on with Shepard's orders. When needed, Shepard would use his skills to force Reaper fire on him. Allowing Anderson and Coats to push the sides, and then press the flanks and such of the enemy. It was fast the move forward. Seeing it was mostly Cannibal and Marauder forces, along with a lot of Husk troops. This looked to be the best course of action. The best means of entry.

As the three pushed into the center where the beam was. Anders, turned around raising his rifle. "That was almost too easy…"

Coats, asked with some bit of cockiness. "You think maybe it's just because the Commander is here?"

"Maybe." Anderson narrowed his eyes. "Or… it could be a trap?"

With that the three press on now vanishing into the portal. Which, took them… somewhere dark.

At first, Anderson stood up, and said huffing a bit. "That was… new…"

Shepard looked around, saying, "It was not that different from a teleported on Illos. Though, that was a small mass relay." To that, he began walking forward slowly. This place smelled of rot and death. There were bodies. Yet there were also chambers with people inside them. Shepard came close running a hand on one chamber asking, "Is this a collector pod?"

Anderson walked over looking it over. "It is something like what was in your report. What is it doing on the Citadel?"

Shepard saw that these tubes were recently used. There was… still, some remnants along the glass. A hand print in blood. To that, he closed his eyes whispering, "I don't know… maybe… a Reaper?"

"A Reaper?" Anderson, shook with the idea. "That's… damn it, so they decided to use our home world to make one? In the Citadel? It makes sense… the damn thing is nearly impenetrable."

To that Coats asks, "Yet we're here?"

Just then, shots from down the hall. Shepard saw the Cannibals with Husk runners coming. "Yeah and so are they! Get to cover!" Dropping behind the same tube Shepard began to shoot out the Husk front charge, Anderson and Coats took to targeting the Cannibals. Shepard was able to disengage and look closely as a Keeper walked past him. It was, strange. Now he frowned as the gunfire stopped and Shepard walked forward to a wall, but the passage opened.

Anderson saw and asks, "How the hell did you know that was a door?"

Shepard looked closely as another chamber like the one they are in was here. With bodies, tubes and such. Shepard said, worriedly, "It's like a dream. One… I had."

As the three step into the room. The door closed. It made alarm among the men. Yet, here a heavy breath, inhaled deeply in the room gave a twitch to our Commander. Shepard turned angrily as the hologram shown of a man, in a fine suit.

"illusive man."

"Sadly, Shepard. What you experienced was all, and anything but a simple dream." The illusive Man smiled a bit, to ask, "Or, have you already forgotten? The reports on Indoctrination?"

Shepard's eyes grew as Anderson snaps venomously, "What the hell are you talking about? Come on out, show your face." With a click of his pistol, Anderson smiles at the sheer thought. "I promise. I'll make it quick."

"Oh, I bet you would. A old soldier like you, seeing things straight from the end of a gun." The illusive Man gave a nod, and asks, "Sound familiar? Shepard?"

Shepard looked confused, horrified? How could he have been there? OR worse! Just know? "How?"

"Indoctrination can work many ways actually. You have seen it yourself. With a case like Saren, it turned him slowly but surely into a willing acolyte under the guise of 'salvation' and so much more. With the Collectors the entire race was turned, re-engineered for a specific purpose. Yet it is in perception that it begins." To that, he narrowed his eyes at the man, Major Coats, looking around with his rifle aimed wildly. "It relies on the views of those being indoctrinated. To make so even some ideals and views are but tools of the Reapers. A way to ensure we do not defy them, until it is too late."

"Yet, that dream? The one with the Reapers. You and the Crucible, the Catalyst? That was all just indoctrination?"

"In a much more significant measure yes, it was." The illusive Man took a slow breath, and inhale of his cigarette. To that, he tapped the ashes telling Shepard. "There is something about you Shepard. The Reapers want you for more than a indoctrinated servant. They sought to make you into so much more. After all, when they destroyed the Normandy. The Collectors tried to salvage your remains from our hands multiple times. The Reapers see in you something. When you brought all this might to Earth. They believed, that it was time to either indoctrinate you, or to dispose of you." To that, he chuckled. "It is rather funny. Shepard. In the attempt to indoctrinate you. The Reapers, failed."

Coats, now asks, "How?" He shook his head, the British soldier tells, "I've seen what indoctrination does, turning people into monsters. Good men and women. What's so different about this one?"

"Several things." The illusive Man stepped to the side, and shrugged his shoulders. "Indoctrination works at a very subtle level. The process is hard to… pinpoint, where it begins. When you're not careful."

"From first hand experience?" Shepard, asks as Anderson found a door, trying to open it. "Some how? I can't tell. Are you still under the illusion you're not indoctrinated?"

"I KNOW my limits!" To this, the man spun and bared his teeth. His strange eyes glaring with rage. "I've been doing this longer than anyone out there Shepard! I know the Reapers. I know the dangers! The end is, no one was more prepared than me!"

"Then, help me. Help me to stop them!"

"It's not that simple." Again, he shook his head pulling back from the obvious course. "We can't destroy something so valuable. I'll make you understand. Because, before you get here. I will have you prepared. For the final moment. The Reapers. Humanity. All we are, will finally reach what it was meant to."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Perfection, Shepard." The illusive man gave a nod, and points at this soldier. "That's what you're here for. Why we are here for. The utmost measure of perfection on behalf of humanity."

Just then Anderson got the door to open. "Shepard!" Shepard turned, and then turned back to see the hologram is gone…

Moving forward. Anderson whispers, "God damn maniac. Even now? He can't see what's happening? The Reapers are killing millions. For what? Where's the damn sense in this?"

Coats argues, "If he were making any kind of sense? It's that the Reapers are ahead of us. Trying to destroy them without the Crucible is impossible."

Anderson though, looks to Shepard. The Commander seemed a bit distracted. "Shepard." Shepard turned up, Anderson standing with his arm holding his rifle high. "Tell me, what he meant? The indoctrination, your dream? Are they somehow related?"

Shepard was quiet at first, but. "I had a dream after we crashed. That we ran toward the Conduit. There was Harbinger, and everyone but you and I were taken out. When we got on the Citadel however the illusive Man stopped us, and forced us to talk him down. Finally, we opened the arms but the crucible didn't work and then, there was a… child…" Shepard saw Anderson shift his hand on his hips confused and a bit agitated, "I know. It was kind of a Reaper Super Computer."

"Wait…" Coats, whispers, "Like a god damn star child?"

"You could say that?"

"Huh." Anderson closed his eyes, "That's kind of strange?"

"It was. The Star child told me that the Reapers were meant to save us from synthetics, and in doing so. They cultivate the galaxy. I can't understand it, but the end result was with the Crucible I could either control the Reapers… join all organic and synthetic life, or finally destroy the Reapers and synthetic life."

Anderson frowned as the major just asks, "So, which did you choose?"

Shepard turned to just shrug. "There was only one real choice. Considering all we gathered for this fight. All we've done? I chose to destroy them."

Anderson wondered, "How does that relate to Indoctrination?" Walking again, he recalls, "Saren said the more one organism resists the more the Reapers will encourage indoctrination… so, perhaps if you were not able to stop the Reapers. They would have never even used the power to indoctrinate you? They want to harvest us."

Coats, asks, "Didn't that bastard back there say the Collectors wanted you Commander?"

Shepard, seemed to nod. "He did. I remember that Harbinger always spoke how he wanted to harvest my body. For some reason. Yet… how does this?"

Just then, the two men Anderson and Coats were stopped. As a door closed. Shepard, slammed his fists on it. "Damn it!" A call out, he asks, "Are you two okay?"

"We're fine." Anderson called out. "It's just a door! Look, keep searching for the center of this hell hole! The second we find a panel, we need to try and figure out where to open the arms. Shepard?" The Commander gave a nod, calling out 'sure'. "Alright! Meet us there! Stay safe!"

Shepard gave a grunt of irritation. Walking his way back, but finding another wall opened. Leading to a larger room.

* * *

><p>Shepard pitched his rifle each way of the room seeing several rows of the same canisters or capsules. This looked like a similar region of the Collector base. However, as second and Shepard recognized that all but two of the chambers are empty. It was this, Shepard's eyes widen as he called, "Tali! Garrus!"<p>

It was his team! The ones he was going to storm the conduit with! As Shepard moved. The fizzling image of the illusive Man appears. Shepard snapped back with his rifle up again. "What the hell are you doing?"

To this, the illusive Man seemed to smile. Walking, at the side of the chamber where Garrus stood, under some form of anesthesia. "Trying to make a point. That you have to be more, coming. The fact remains Shepard. You've done a lot for this galaxy. You have also ensured, that a lot has been 'renewed;."

Shepard glared with heavier concern as the man walked from the tube with Garrus, toward the one with Tali. "I did what ever was necessary."

"Oh, like on Noveria? Where you decided to let a Rachni Queen go? Later, she turned out to be under Reaper control, and yet again, you let her go." Turning, the illusive man stood beside the unconscious Quarian. "Was that, necessary?"

"The Rachni were under the Reaper's indoctrination. They had been turned into weapons. They deserved a chance to live in peace, without the Reapers and their influence."

"Perhaps." To this, he now asks, "What about the Geth? The 'Heretics' you chose to so blindly re-write, only to help the Reapers in the coming war by making their choice to ally with them so simple."

Shepard narrowed his eyes downward, "The Geth chose this only because they had to." To this, Shepard glared back angrily, "That choice helped us when the Geth and Quarian people allied. To fight the Reapers!"

"Yes, that you did." The illusive Man turned to Tali and admits, "To ally so much as the Krogan and the Turians. You even gambled, the Salarians."

Shepard was, alarmed… "You knew?"

"Of course. We, have agents everywhere." To this, he turned to tell Shepard. "The fact you make choices not for the betterment of our kind. Shows, that you are infallible. Yet, you have the will to make these choices. To chance so much." To this, the illusive Man motioned, to the two chambers, "So I want to remind you. That your choices, have consequences."

With that, Shepard heard something clicking. The chambers fill with something. His team mates inhaled this substance and slowly woke.

Garrus, was first to see Shepard. A slow, groggy groan, and he leaned on the glass softly stroking it with his gauntlet covered hands. "Uhh, Sh-Shepard? What's going on? Where the hell am-," Garrus, turned to see the hologram. A snarl, and his eyes bare all his hate. "You son of a bitch! Let us go, now!"

The illusive man smiled, asking, "Do you remember Shepard? The point where your choices brought you to the Citadel? Where, you met a certain C-sec officers? A Turian no less! The very same, that chose to help you stop a rogue Specter. A Turian that turned on all he knew, for a simple desire to be free of the 'red tape' that the galaxy used, to put order to chaos."

Tali, softly banged the glass as she too woke. "Keelah! What is going on?" Seeing Shepard, she cried out, "Shepard! Get, get us out of here!"

The illusive Man now waved a hand, asking, "How about this Shepard? Do you remember the choices that led you to gain information on Saren, thanks to a Quarian on her very pilgrimage? A Quarian girl that would even re-join you years later to stop the Collectors!"

Tali, glared at that man. To warn, "The moment I get out of here! I'm putting my shotgun to your face!"

The illusive Man even laughed, "Let's not forget what else she means to you. That choice as well, was yours to make."

Shepard stood there, looking between them. A part of him was looking for a way to get them out. The illusive Man now saw, and asked, "You want to save them?"

"Of course!" That, was a dumb question.

"Well, that's fair enough." The illusive Man stepped back, and crossed his arms, saying, "After all. You, have free will. A will strong enough it even resist indoctrination. It would seem."

Shepard just didn't understand what this maniac was going on about. However, it was then the illusive Man motioned to consoles beside each pod. "Each pod has a console that you can interact with." Shepard made a move, yet the illusive Man continued, as he finished a slight puff, "However…"

"However…?"

"These two capsules are set specifically for a purpose. One is opened. The other, will activate."

Shepard, looked at the many wires, and tubes. It was here, his eyes grew, and then he snarled demanding, "Open them both! NOW!"

The illusive Man said, with some comedic value. "The key here is Shepard. You're the one, with the will. Not I." To that, he turned around telling Shepard. "You must use your will for a choice. One friend or the other." This, the illusive Man fizzled out, with lastly, "It's your choices that 'shape' this galaxy."

Having been left with this otherwise ungodly choice. Shepard looked between the two and then tried to look at the devices they both had been hooked up to. There was no telling just how in the hell, he could maybe open both? Even the two team members looked around to come to the startling revelation there is no means to open one without the other seeming to act. Thanks to this being such foreign tech, that which none here could even make a fair claim to understand.

With this in mind. Garrus lowered his eyes biting back what he thought. Eventually, his hands lay on the glass before he begs, "Shepard! Listen! Open Tali's pod!"

Shepard turned alarmed as that, alone, was unexpected! Yet, Tali, she sounded more stunned. "Garrus?"

"It's the right thing to do. I mean, think about it! You came this far. You can go farther without me. You have to do this Shepard. For both of your sakes."

Tali shook her head, snapping back, "Don't you DARE make that decision on my behalf! Shepard, save Garrus."

That really shocked Shepard. He glared, between them. Yet fell back on Tali. "I can't live with knowing he died because of me, Shepard. It's not right. Please. Don't put that on my shoulders."

Shepard glared down as he had to think. It… it was, complex.

"I know you love me." To this, Shepard's eyes shy from Tali's softening voice. That didn't help at all. "It's okay. I understand. Please, just don't let Garrus die."

"Don't listen to her. Shepard, you and I both know. That I've done some things I regret. If I can die, to make sure a friend lives? I don't regret that! So just, open her pod! PLEASE!"

As the weight of both choices weigh in heavily on his soul. Shepard, closed his eyes before softly giving out a sigh…

"Tali…" Shepard looked at her, sadly. "I'm sorry."

"Shepard," Tali's eyes close, as she hangs her head. "I-I understand… I lov-."

Suddenly, her pod opens. Tali, falls forward into his arms. Shepard looked into her eyes a moment as they share a look…

"No." Tali, turned up seeing the device in the other pod begin to 'activate' and, she pushes from Shepard running to that pod. As something flushed into it, she cries, "Keelah! Stop! No! We have to get him out!"

As Tali got to the device, Garrus cries out, "Stop!" A gasp, and coughing soon after he shook as his scales twitched. "Agh, stop her!"

Shepard, grabbed Tali as she struggled, screaming to 'open' it. Garrus smirked as he hung against the glass already feeling something akin to fatigue. "Hah, always had to be the stubborn one. Huh, Tali?"

This Shepard watched. As did Tali. Garrus coughing again before closing his eyes. Breathing in sadly what he can't stop as his body grew even weaker. "Listen to me. Tali. Shepard. You have both got to see this through." Looking up, his eyes were starting to get dull looking, as his skin was melting some how. "Make sure. You find that. Bastard. Put a bullet. Between his… agh…"

Suddenly, Garrus screamed, the fluid began to work swiftly. The sight of him turning and smashing about was terrible. Shepard, closed his eyes as Tali pressed her fact into his chest. When the noises of crying ended from the tube. They only continued from the Quarian. At first, she balled her fists to hide her eyes from the sight. Yet, when she smashed them against Shepard. She screamed, "You bosh'tet! How could you? How could you do this! To me!"

Turning up, she screamed and cried, before beating feebly on Shepard. "He was our friend! You couldn't have! You're not supposed… supposed to…"

Shepard didn't actually say anything. Sad as he was. Soon, he let her sniffle and look at him. When she looked closely. Tali whispered, "I'm sorry…"

"I know." Softly, he squeezed her shoulders looking at the tube. A glare down he tells her, "I've lost a lot of friends. I'm sorry, you had to be one too… Garrus…"

Tali stood off Shepard to see her weapons beside those of Garrus. When she took them, she held softly the sniper rifle Garrus was last carrying. "Keelah se'lai. Garrus Vakarian vas Palavan…" setting the rifle beside the container. She held her hand against a splotch that looked like a hand swipe… to that, she closed her eyes whispering, "Shepard… why, didn't you choose him?"

"Because…" To that, he softly held the woman's shoulder. As she looked at him. Shepard smiled softly. "In the end. I think. Garrus, would have wanted it this way…"

A nod, and Tali held Shepard's hand before glaring at the opened door. "We need to end this. Shepard."

"Damn right."

Tali cocked her shotgun as she warned, "For Garrus."

"For all our friends. That can't make it."

The two began walking, even so. Tali asks, "Do you think this is somehow the real Citadel?"

"What do you mean?"

"The Citadel. All this time we've been on the Presidium and Wards. Yet, every time? It's so beautiful. So peaceful. Down here, it's dirty and dark. What if, this is the truth? Where the Citadel, what it is, is."

Shepard seemed to admit, with some concern, "I think it could be some duct system. Even so? There is a lot of tech down here that reminds me of Reaper tech. It could mean something."

"Like the Citadel is somehow connected to the Reapers? Oh, wait… we learned that on Illos."

"Illos." Shepard sounded saddened. "Garrus, would probably agree."

"Shepard…I, I didn't mean to…"

"It's okay Tali. It wasn't your choice, it was mine."

"I know." Tali, she, lowered her voice some. "I just have to live with that."

* * *

><p>Traveling these dark halls. Shepard and Tali both stop to the sound of static. It was something strange in this part. Not like that of the illusive Man. It was a radio? Eventually, Shepard turned over to a dead man's body with the same device. He looked to be a member of C-sec. Shepard, came over and matched his Omni-tool to the one the man left on.<p>

"We might be able to hear what's going on." Shepard turned, as he saw Tali give him a slight nod. "If C-sec is still active? We can check out what's happening."

"Good idea. I'll just, keep an eye out." Tali, slowly looked away. "Try to not think too hard."

"Okay." Shepard frowned, as she stepped away. "Tali?" She turned, and he gave a slow nod. "I, I am sorry."

"I know…" A sigh, she closed her eyes whispering, "I know, I just feel so… it's okay, I know what's at stake. Whenever you're ready."

Shepard began to call out to the officers, "Come in. This is Commander Shepard! Is anyone on this frequency?"

Bailey seemed to call out, "Son of a-Shepard? How, in the hell…?"

Shepard had to smile. "Bailey? You're still alive?"

"That's exactly what I was thinking." A moment, the man was silent. Then he said, "Sorry, we have a bit of trouble up here. There seems to be an excess of Husks and Cannibals, running around you know?"

"Right." Shepard gave a look to Tali watching the halls. "Listen, I don't know where we are. We're… somewhere else? I need you to see if you can maybe do a scan or…?"

"Shepard? I don't think that's likely. Ever since the place went all haywire. I haven't been able to do much more than organize some resistance. Mostly, collected people from the wards and such, and re-organized our efforts. Sure, we can delay most the things, but the damn monsters are ALL over this station!"

"You have to try! We're walking blind!"

As the silence went on. Shepard finally heard Bailey tell him, "Seems I can get some info. Thanks to a few of the upgrades around here. We do have a stronger security system." After that, he whispers, "Well, ain't that something?"

Shepard asks, "What is it?"

"You're on the station. Thing is, I don't know where the hell this… is." A few moments, Shepard saw a map appear on his Omni-tool. "Looks like you're here. Talk about funny."

"This says that this location doesn't exist. It's just a excess of armor plating!"

"Obviously, our scans were wrong. Probably, designed to look that way. The place is huge Shepard. Most scans are unable to pierce our hulls. Still, it's connected to some of the Keeper tunnels I bet?"

That Shepard had to admit seems likely. "Even if it is." Shepard, lowered his head and seemed worried. "We have to find some place…" He asks, "Is there any way you can help us get around?"

"Sorry Shepard. I can't do that. I can, however. Try to meet up with you…?"

"Really?" That seems promising. A smile and Shepard asks, "Where?"

"Here." Soon, Shepard saw his navpoint activate. "I'll meet you there. Though, I can't promise I can actually get to you. You're still for all I know, in a part of the Citadel that's not even supposed to exist."

When Shepard got to the navpoint with Tali. The two were not able to find Bailey. However, after some waiting there was a call out. "Shepard?" Bailey came back on the Omni-tool. "Shepard. It's me."

"Bailey?" Shepard asks, "Where are you?"

"Well, I'm here. Like I said I'd be. Seems I was right… I can't seem to find a way in where you are. Still…" Bailey then asks, "What exactly do you see?"

Shepard looked around, telling Bailey. "A lot of dark halls. We're pointed towards some more… and a room ahead, I think?"

"We're close to the citadel tower. It could be, some kind of lower basement or something."

Tali looked up telling Shepard, "If this is below the tower? I'm going to guarantee. We're getting close to whatever it is, we're looking for."

Shepard sadly had to admit. "That sounds about right. I suppose?" Turning back, he asks, "Bailey? What are the chances you can get into the tower?"

"Not the best. Those things are crawling all over it."

"Right, but if you do. There should be a way to maybe help us from there?"

Bailey had to sigh. "Look, I'll see what I can do Shepard…" Eventually, Bailey warned, "We have some help. An Asari huntress for one. Some students from Grissom Academy too. I'll get what I can together, we'll force our way into the tower. Hopefully, that will help?"

"Every little bit couldn't hurt." Shepard then turned to see a door open. What he saw, surprised him. Anderson and Coats!

Anderson, stepped forward with his gun raised up, "Well, looks like you're still alive."

"Anderson!" Shepard, shook hands with the other marine. "I almost wrote you up for as good as dead."

"Oh? Come now. After all that we've done on Earth. I'm here until the end." Looking about, Anderson saw the chamber ahead. "That where we're headed?"

"I guess. I'm not sure where here is still. Except it's the Citadel."

"You're sure?"

"Yes. Bailey is here." To that, Shepard says, "Bailey? Anderson is here. We're moving on."

"Sure thing, Shepard." Bailey told them all, "Good luck. If I find anything at the tower? I'll call back."

This chamber they all were headed into. It was, strange. There seemed to be screens showing a good number of ships outside the Citadel. The group watched for a while everything that has been happening. Seeing a number of ships being blown apart. Others forcing into the Reapers with all intent of doing what they can.

Major Coats asks worriedly, "How long can they keep this up?"

Anderson told Coats, adamantly. "However long it'll take. No one out there is willing to surrender, so long we have hope."

Shepard looked on with a heavy heart while he saw a Volus bomber ship dropping it's load on Earth. "The Volus have been trying to help at least…"

Anderson, watched now as a Batarian frigate, flew into the mouth of a Reaper, blowing itself and the monster machine to bits. "Even the Batarians." Anderson, shook his head whispering, "Never thought I'd see the day they could offer help."

Suddenly, a fizzling noise and everyone turned to the illusive Man. As he puffed once more from his cigarette, the man asks, "Did you suspect any less from the forces? Gathered, by the great and awe inspiring Commander Shepard?"

Shepard narrowed his eyes as he demands, "Where are you? What are you hiding?"

"At the moment. I'm close. We'll meet soon. As to hiding? That's, a little complicated. You should ask yourself that. What is it you're hiding Shepard?"

Shepard shook his head but said, "I'm not hiding anything! I'm here to stop the Reapers!"

"Oh, but what will it accomplish? Destroying the Reapers will only allow the chaos to continue. Look, at it all Shepard. Batarians. Volus. Elcor? Do any of those races truly offer anything outside of canon fodder for this war?" Shepard looked at the screens, as the hologram stepped up between them. "When this is over. Can you rely on any of them to help rebuild our cities? To help protect our borders?"

Shepard narrowed his eyes at the hologram. What, is he trying to tell him?

"In the end. This war, will leave a mark on us all. You included." To that, he turned asking, "If there is another option. Why should we denounce it? Solely, because it is what the Reapers wanted? All along?"

"Exactly!" Shepard cried out, almost offended from the idea. "If it's the will of the Reapers? Then, how can you possibly think it will help humanity?"

"Before you assume to know what's best for humanity? Try to think, what's best for yourself Shepard! What if refusal of the power they hold leads the galaxy to ruin? Can you honestly accept that failure? The failure! To use the power held by the Reapers?"

This however caused Anderson to scream, "You're trying to say that the Reapers aren't the enemy!"

"That's because they aren't!" To this, the illusive Man looked to Shepard. "You know that Shepard. You've seen it. You've been a part of it. It touched your mind, like it tried with mine. The thing is, you resisted it! Just like I did!"

To this, Shepard gave a startled look. One that showed how much such a statement gave him pause. "You mean? I… was indoctrinated?"

The illusive Man shook his head, saying, "The Reapers and their signals are in space at every turn. The more they become active. The more they begin to work into your mind. Shepard, haven't you had the dreams? Seen the same images, heard the same whispers?" This was where Shepard glanced away, but the illusive Man pressed a finger toward him, saying, "It's the same thing! The closer you got to Earth. The stronger it became. When you were unconscious, you were dreaming. In our dreams where we're the weakest. That's where the Reapers are strongest… yet, you resisted. Something in you, was able to refuse their will. Just like I did." A grin, the illusive Man told, "It's my desire to see humanity rise. The same desire in you, was what made you resist. To see that we can become more than we've ever known. I know it to be true. I've always had faith that one day, you'll be at my side."

At this, Shepard felt a surge. Something in him, was calling him. To interrupt this madman's rant, with his own karma… a valued, virtuous energy whence Shepard called upon his hope.

"No." Shepard, looked up with a glare. A defiant, sure sense. "Maybe, I did feel the Reapers. Perhaps they did try to indoctrinate me. To make me into one of them. To try and turn me, into what you are." To that, he bared his anger firmly on the illusive Man. "The difference is. Where you are loyal to yourself, and your view of humanity. I'm loyal to life. I'm loyal to my friends and those that fight beside me. I'm loyal to the hope of the galaxy, and the means to which we'll stop this. By destroying the Reapers."

The illusive Man stood there with a snarl, before he tossed his hand in the air turning from Shepard. "I should have known! Even after everything you're still…" he shook his head, thinking about it. Then he asks, "Do you not see? The Reapers have a purpose for you. As well for the Crucible. With it, we can harness this power."

"You mean you're willing to work together finally?"

"W-what?" To that, the illusive Man held his head, "I mean. We. Humanity."

"Or, do you mean you and the Reapers?"

"No! I mean…" soon, the image distorts, the illusive Man seemed to be getting distracted.

Anderson even admits, "All the reports. He isn't nearly as sharp witted as I assumed."

"The man's loosing his grasp on reality. Not to mention himself." Shepard looked back, asking, "Anderson? How long was I… unconscious?"

Anderson thought, "I suppose, a few moments. Not much more than an hour maybe? We were rushed." Holding his chin the soldier thought. "When the ships were targeted. We all started scrambling. If it wasn't for the effort everyone made for the Conduit. I don't know, Shepard. I can't tell you… why?"

Shepard looked to the screens. Seeing so many dying. He closed his eyes explaining, "That dream. I think, it was indoctrination."

"What the hell for? If you're here, it didn't work!"

"I know." Still, Shepard looked away, "I was tempted. There was… something about, what it was like. It was like a dream. Yet I could always not wake up. A part of me could stay there. Forever."

Tali, slowly walked forward. "What do you mean? Was it, like when you went into the Geth consensus?"

"No." Shepard looked back telling her, "It was not like that. This was, more real. It was almost completely tailored for me. To give me the illusion that I was here. Alive. Making my stand." To this, he thought about it. "Some how. It was as if I was meant to give in. To accept that this was right. A dream that told me, I was going to stop the Reapers. Yet I had to make one final sacrifice."

Anderson admits, "If I could do it right now? I'd take any option really. Still, some how you resisted. Or woke up." To that, the man asks, "How? What's different?"

"I don't know." Shepard tried to think. What is different? "Other people have been indoctrinated. I know, I saw Saren."

"Saren, was a son of a bitch." Anderson warned. "In the end he had no scruples. His goals were simple, self preservation. As well the acceptance of losses for solely the most fitting outcome. He had no foresight and in the end the Reapers took him over for it."

Tali seemed worried, "Then why the illusive Man?"

"A similar man if you ask me!" Anderson, scoffed at this. "He's deluded in his dreams of humanity. Whatever it is that the Reapers see in him? They didn't see it in you." Looking back, he points at Shepard, telling him, "This entire time. The Reapers have fought you Shepard. It only makes sense they would try and indoctrinate you. Yet, you fought back. Maybe, it was knowing what you've done? How much you've been able to gather to fight them!"

With that, Shepard thought about it. Thinking back… "I remember, that Saren told me. The more an organic resisted the indoctrination the more they enforced it, that was his 'saving grace' so…" to this, he closed his eyes. "What if, by gathering all the assets we have? That is why the Reapers made the indoctrination choices so much more tempting? Trying to coerce me into submitting?"

"Precisely!" Anderson gave a stern nod. "That's exactly it. They used that thought. That mindset. If you hadn't the will, and the belief in your cause then they would have never wasted the energy. They would have maybe turned you into a Husk. Or worse, just fried your brain. Then moved on to the rest of the galaxy." Anderson frowned to the thought. "Yet, since you did take the time. To gather all this. To call into favor the Rachni, Krogan, Turian and Batarian races for this war. To bring all the technology you did with the Crucible. The Reapers did whatever they could to convince you. That their way, was the only way."

"Just like Saren and the illusive Man." Shepard, glared at the thought in his mind. "Yet, sticking to my beliefs. I… could do it, resist them, wake up from the dream?"

Tali, softly held his hand. "You were the only one that could. You never gave up. Even in the light of all this. You've been there. To the end. Shepard."

This, was a good idea. If Shepard did not have the power to stop them. That means, "Then we do have the power." Shepard glared with confidence. "We can stop this." Leaving, the screens show the many races in combat for them. Shepard told his team, "For everyone that has come this far. We can end the Reapers."

"Keelah se'lai!"

"About, damn time! Major Coats! Let's get a move on."

Suddenly, Coats stood from his position. "Anderson? I got a funny message. Someone is calling for help, here."

Anderson came to the major, as he listened in. It was Bailey calling in any form of help with Reaper forces at the tower. Anderson thought a moment but came to the decision. "Alright, I'll go help him out. Shepard, you, Tali and Major Coats go on ahead."

Shepard lowered his head to then say, "Anderson, I can't let you go alone."

"We don't have much of a choice. We don't know what's ahead, and we definitely can't chance you meeting resistance without a full team."

Major Coats seemed to admit, "It's risky. I can go though, I'm a good sniper. I took pot shots off Reapers in London, off Big Ben, so maybe I can offer better support? Alone?"

Shepard looked between Anderson and Coats. At first, the thought can be a bit risky true. However, Tali adds in, "I can go help if you'd rather? I might be able to assist with hacking. Or offering better assistance with distraction fire."

Shepard's eyes dot to her seeming to debate that too. Yet with his options. Shepard, decided to try and persuade his commander just what to do.

"Anderson. We need Bailey and the rest of the C-sec forces." To this, he gave a nod. "You and Major Coats both should meet up with them. Me and Tali can handle this."

Anderson glared back but he gave a sigh. "You think it's for the best?"

"I wouldn't say it unless I meant it."

"Alright." Anderson, gave a nod to Major Coats. "We'll go make contact. You just stay alive. This isn't Akuze Shepard. We don't need another hero."

"I know." Shepard turned to Tali as she held up her shotgun, and he aimed his rifle. "I plan that we can all meet back alive."

* * *

><p>As Shepard and Tali pressed on. There was a sudden 'huh' Tali gave. Shepard looked back asking, "Something wrong?"<p>

"I just was thinking." Tali, kept beside Shepard as the two made the halls alone. "We've been together a long time. Illos. The Collector Base."

"Yeah. A long ways."

"Yet, Anderson was there even before that."

"Even before Eden Prime. Where this all started."

Tali seemed to think, "Ashley. She met you there."

"Yeah. She did." Shepard, found another doorway, still blocked. So he scanned it with his Omni-tool, "What brings this all up?"

"I was thinking to Virmire. Anderson led me to that. Where the most impossible things happened. I just, I was thinking. Are we going to have to loose more friends?" Lowering her head, she admits, "I'm… just worried, if we have even more hard choices ahead."

Shepard was not even sure he wanted to think that over. If it were true? Would he be set to try and make that kind of choice again? As he thought back to Garrus. A friend he lost. A choice he had to make. There was a weight to it. The weight in his chest only made it all the worse to keep going. If Shepard did not keep going however, the universe would suffer.

"Sometimes Tali. The sacrifices we make though harsh, have merit. The galaxy is fighting right now. Trying to stop this damn war."

"I know. Shepard, believe me. I just keep, thinking. All that we've done. Now, we lost Garrus, and…"

"First there was Mordin, Thane and Legion. Now Garrus. It's going to probably be just as hard Tali. Keep that in mind."

"Let's hope not. Keelah."

Just then the doors open, ahead of them appeared a person. Shepard and Tali hold up their guns yet, the figure turns to cause Shepard to snap out, "Kaidan!"

Kaidan Alenko, the biotic alliance member of his squad? Shepard is as confused as ever. However, Kaidan gives but a nod. "Shepard! I just…"

Tali asks, "What are you doing here?"

"I don't know!" Kaidan, held his head, whispering, "I was just reporting back. I was contacted by one of my team. The team I mentioned, Shepard? You remember?"

Shepard looks back to Tali as she moves ahead of them, towards another set of consoles. Shepard asks, "The Biotics Division you were working with. I know. Still, how did you get on the Citadel?"

"I don't…" Kaidan, closes his eyes and has but a heavy sigh. "I was on the ground Shepard. Working with you, remember? Then the call came in, and as we all separated. I got separated from the ground forces. Somehow, some where. I woke up on the Citadel, here."

This was fishy. Shepard even admits, "It's starting to sound like some kind of space magic?"

"I know. How did I get here? I just can't figure it out…" Still, Kaidan motions back, "Still, I've been looking over these monitors. Watching the fight outside. This is, intense…"

"I saw before." That kind of was odd. "The illusive Man. He got onto the Citadel… somehow."

"He did? Likely, his operative. Kai Lang."

"Kai Lang? You mean through the keeper tunnels?"

Kaidan shrugged as he tried to sense it up, "Makes the most sense. A way inside. Something. It could have been that he prepared to get on the Citadel I mean it can't be impenetrable, a single man could get in or out of the place some how. With a ship?" To that, Shepard sighed closing his eyes the thought of it made his head ache. Kaidan was feeling a headache of his own and held his forehead a moment. "Mmm…"

"You okay?"

"Yeah, It's just been sort of funny. My head, I mean."

Shepard seemed to just smirk, and say, "Trust me. It can't be any worse than what I have for a headache."

"Probably." Still, Kaidan asks. "The question though is why is the illusive Man here? If he was going to try and take control of the Reapers. That's his master plan, right?"

"You mean if he hasn't been fully indoctrinated?"

"Heh, Right. Forgot about that part."

Just then a image appeared, and Shepard asks, "I was wondering how long until you showed up."

The illusive Man seemed to be smiling a bit. "Is that so? I was just wondering, how long until you finally arrived."

"It's over. We need to open the Citadel. To let the Crucible dock!"

"The Crucible, is the least of my concerns." Shepard seemed a bit confused. "For right now. I'm concerned about you, Shepard."

"Does that mean you're finally taking this seriously?"

"In more ways than you could ever understand." The Illusive Man looked to Kaidan whom held a pistol up. "Seems you have another friend?"

Shepard turned with a nod, and said, "Looks like."

"Yes, but looks can be most deceiving." With that, the Illusive Man smiled before walking towards Tali, who just held her shotgun at his head. "Still, what is happening. Even now forces are fighting to the death. You're here, trying to learn the truth about the Reapers."

"I'm here to open the arms, and dock the Crucible." With that, Shepard snarled, "Then blow these monsters to hell!"

"That's what you think." The Illusive Man looked back, asking, "Are you still under the false hope you can stop them Shepard? You don't even know what they are. Where they came from. Who built them, and why!"

"The Reapers. Have been around long enough. We need to end them before they wipe out all life. Can't you see? They have even you, endangering our very survival! Why?"

"For the power. The ability to ensure everything can be made greater. To destroy is to waste that gift. The essence of the Reapers. What they were meant to be." The Illusive Man turned from Shepard to Kaidan, asking, "For what we have about the Reapers. There is power in harnessing their strength as our own. The only way we can hope to see evolution for mankind is through using such tactics."

Kaidan had heard enough, so he asks, "What's evolution for any if it comes at the cost of our souls?"

"Which is a funny statement. You yourself questioned your Commander. Previously, under a guise of 'soul' and what he is. Tell me, do you truly still have no refusal of the man standing beside you? Have you given so deep into the belief, that Shepard will save you?"

Kaidan held the gun up warning, "I've had my doubts. The Commander has done much more than anyone else in this war. So yeah, I think I do."

"Really?" The Illusive Man turned with a slight, smile. "Then, you are no longer: Worried about looking past the looking glass?"

Kaidan's eyes flinched, and his pistol lowered. Shepard, stepped forward asking, "What did you say?"

Suddenly, Shepard felt the pistol beside his head. Kaidan held the gun at his commander's skull warning, "There is no turning back Shepard. The way forward. Is through the eyes of Cerberus."

Shepard's eyes twitch now too as he asks, "What are you doing Major?"

Tali, turned back crying out, "Shepard! Kaidan! Get your pistol away from him or I'll…"

"Before my shields go down. The Commander will be dead. He must accept. The truth is. Cerberus needs you."

"Me? Why me?" Shepard narrowed his eyes, "Don't they already have everything they need to control the Reapers?"

"I do." The, Illusive Man held his head, "I-d-do. I do. I just, I need. You. To understand. Yes, to listen." To that, he motioned forward, "Precisely. For this to work. We need the best of humanity. You need to be there. At the end. Commander."

"So, that's why you made me kill one of my best friends?"

"That, was a measure of show Commander. For all we have? We must know, that we are our choices. Yours have allowed you to get this far. To resist Indoctrination, even when they offered you truly peace, the best solutions in your mind's eye. You resisted. Something in you is better than most, and the Reapers know it."

"Right, and it's you that needs me?" Shepard, asks with some glance to Kaidan. "Taking my friends. Turning them on me?"

"Major Alenko has been with Cerberus for some time. Though, he hasn't known." The Illusive Man explains, "How else does one expect him to not have been captured in the Collector attack, on Horizon?"

"Horizon?" Shepard was… well, stunned. "You mean. It makes sense. The Collector attacks. You."

"Precisely…" The Illusive Man tells Shepard. "While Mordin worked on his countermeasures. We used what information, to prepare. The tip that allowed Kaidan Alenko as well the Collectors to meet. Was to ensure, we could have a viable option. One that should you return to the Alliance. We could perhaps keep tabs."

"Through a team member. Someone I trusted."

"Your choices." The Illusive Man smiles, "Do have a trend. It was always reasonable you would gain his trust again. If not, well. I'm sure other affairs could have been handled."

"I bet." Still. This was Kaidan. Shepard needed to use his skill, his wits. To this, he began to try and form a way of distraction. Or… persuasion?

"Kaidan." The Major pressed the gun to the back of Shepard's head. "Remember back on Virmire? The loss of Ash? Everything that happened. How hard it was for us both."

"I… I remember…"

The Illusive Man speaks, plainly. "That humanity had to make a sacrifice, for the common good of all species. A good soldier died under Shepard's commands. Forcing you to live out a life, where all you knew was heartbreak, and disappointment."

Shepard speaks up, "I let a friend die that day. For better or worse. To stop Saren. Ashley died to stop the Reapers. To stop what they are doing even now. She would have never wanted this, to bring us to war. Against one another."

"I-I think…"

The Illusive Man asks, "Yet, here he is. After all that. Even joining Cerberus. To stop the Collectors. Abandoning the Alliance while you did not. If Shepard wishes to speak of ghosts, then what of all the colonists that died because he failed, to stop them sooner. People you knew Alenko?"

"Yes. That's right… lives lost, from your inability to stop them."

Shepard glared at the Illusive Man, and tried again, to form the best measure of persuasion. He needed to save, his friend. "Kaidan. Think back to when we met on Horizon. You wanted nothing for Cerberus. You did what you had to, on the behalf of the Alliance. Stopping the Collectors was my mission, protecting people was yours."

"I-You, are…"

"The problem is. The Reapers are here now. Whatever Cerberus has done? I know you. I know the real you." Shepard, looked back over his shoulder. "You still mourn over killing that instructor at Jump Zero. You still miss Ashley, a good friend. Hell we even lost Jenkins together. The truth is. More lives are going to get lost. If we don't stop. Now. The Reapers."

Shepard soon saw something in his old friend's eyes. A flicker of, knowing. Soon, Kaidan lowered his gun and stepped back whispering, "My god… Shepard, I'm so sorry…?"

The Illusive Man stood still and smiled. A puff of his cigarette. "You see Shepard? Sometimes, control IS the answer."

Shepard glared angrily, shouting, "You don't control us!"

"No. You control him." To that, the image fizzled out. "Just, we use different means."

Kaidan dropped to his backside holding his head. Shivering as Shepard came beside him asking, "Are you alright? Did he do anything to you?"

"N-No? I don't…" Shepard, saw Kaidan look up so confused. "I remember now. Horizon. There were Cerberus troops there. They took me, during the Collector attack and they did things to me. Then they let me go afterwards, memory was hazy. I-I can't believe…" Softly the major whispers, "I think, they knew I'd meet you again."

"Or they took a hunch." Shepard sighed deeply as he held his neck, "Kaidan. Are you able to go?"

"Of course." Kaidan stood seeing Tali shift, uneasily. "Where's Garrus?"

"…." Shepard frowned as he saw Tali look away. "He's gone."

"Oh." Kaidan, was silent. Then he said, "I'm sorry Commander."

"That's okay. We need to keep going. We've already wasted way too much time."

Kaidan looked up saying, "I remember…"

"Kaidan?"

"Yes, I remember." Kaidan, turned around to a wall. Yet he said, motioning to it. "The Illusive Man. He's this way Shepard."

As the door opened. Shepard frowned a bit. "Do you remember what he was doing?"

"I think he's trying to patch into some kind of frequency from the Citadel, Commander?"

"A frequency?" That was strange, "What kind of…" then again, he shook his head. "Never mind… Kaidan?" The Major looked over. "Are you ready?"

"Hell yeah! Come on Shepard!"

Tali asks, though, "Can the Illusive Man brain wash you again?"

"I…" Kaidan was silent, a moment. Yet he says, "I don't think so. I think it was… you know, how they like to use sleeper cells. I think that's what I was. Something triggered it."

"Like that phrase he said?"

"Yeah Tali. The thing is, I think? It was only meant to work once. I think he meant to use it only when he was sure he could use it."

"Why not on Mars?" Shepard was curious?

"He maybe didn't need to. Or, he didn't think he'd need me. I might have been just a back up plan?"

"Which," Shepard smiled, as he turned with his rifle up. "that means the Illusive Man is running out of choices. Come on, we don't have much time left."

"Sure thing Commander. Let's put this to rest. For Ashley."

"For the Galaxy." Tali comments.

"For everyone." Shepard, ends this.

* * *

><p>The team found itself entering down toward a circular chamber. There, Shepard saw many screens like the others from before. There's something about all these screens. "Why so many data links on the fight outside?"<p>

This was the first time the Illusive Man appeared, and it was not with a fizzle sound across static. "That's because the Reapers are cataloging every unique variation and more importantly, the one controlling them is making a full data admission of our combat tactics."

Shepard, Kaidan and Tali look up to find the Illusive Man standing before them. A grin, he asks, "What took you so long?"

"I was busy. Trying to get past a fleet of Reapers."

"That will do it." The Illusive Man gave a nod, and asks, "Do you still feel the need to destroy?"

"Maybe." Shepard narrowed his eyes, getting a feeling in the back of his head. One that was rather often when he felt the desire to do something a little more out of the norm. To interrupt himself, or others. To make an action. The desire felt rather Renegade. Like, taking a shot at the megalomaniac.

"I understand. Yet, I can not permit it. Not now, that the Crucible is docking and all that has been prepared is about to take effect."

"What?" Shepard watched as the Illusive Man did bring up a screen showing the Crucible was beginning docking procedures. "You're allowing it? How?"

"I told you. I'm not indoctrinated! Yet, I do need the Crucible. To take control of the Citadel."

Kaidan asks, confused, "You already have control of the Citadel. Why on earth do you need to use the Crucible, to use it? Seeing it's the Catalyst."

The Illusive Man smiled as this, was what he wanted to hear. "Not so. The Catalyst is to be used with the Citadel. They are in their own right one part but two separate entities needed. One is the Citadel, and the other. Is myself."

Shepard seemed to think back. To his dream. "I think I understand."

"I knew you would eventually. That's why I brought you here. To allow you to watch, as I harness the full power of the Reapers. You, are the symbol of hope. With you at my side Shepard. I can become what I always dreamed. If you'll join me?"

"That, is where I won't. Neither will I willingly allow this to go on any further." Shepard narrowed his eyes on the man. "This ends. Now."

"Why so foolish? Is it your pride? The vision of glory?" The Illusive man, screams forth, "Do you have ANY idea why you are here now? What purpose you have? This is beyond you or I. This, is what was meant to be. Humanity, was always meant to become what we will. Perfection!"

With this, Shepard, Tali and Kaidan raise weapons firing. However, the Illusive Man sighed as their shots hit a incredibly powerful Shield. The Illusive Man shook his head telling Shepard, "I am deeply disappointed."

Tali cried out, "Where did that Shield come from?" She looked around, "I mean, it's too powerful to be coming from him!"

"Yet it is." The Illusive Man smirked as his eyes glow brighter, and a powerful sphere of blue shield covered him. "I am far beyond what I was. I am perfection. That, is the true essence of what the Reapers want. You will see, order brought to Chaos! I am, Perfection!"

Shepard glared as he saw the place has very little for cover, yet it all surrounded the central area the Illusive Man was standing. This seemed like the only chance they will get. So, it came down to this. A fight. With the Illusive Man. With the enhanced implants the Illusive Man seemed to be able to create a powerful Shield. The Shield was being made from him, but it was like any other. It just seemed to be very powerful. Perhaps, shooting it will short it?

Then Shepard heard them.

'In Here! Troopers! Full Assault!'

Shepard screamed, "Cerberus Troopers! Incoming!" With them, Shepard and team took cover. The fight, was mostly a matter of taking cover, and keeping their eyes and ears open. As the troopers charged in waves the Illusive Man staid standing, and 'ordering' his men, commanding them verbally to attack. Shepard shot the Shields as his team, kept these enemy forces distracted. When the Shields dropped, Centurions came. Then Guardians. Lastly, as the team used what tactics it could to dwindle down these enemy forces. The sight of a Nemesis, and a Phantom were signs of the worst to come. Having to keep their eyes open, as well take careful shots. The brunt of these waves of forces kept coming, and only by the luck that the Troopers seemed to drop thermal clips most the time when dead, helped. Littering the room with the clips before long. Yet to get them the team had to leave cover bringing Shepard into fire countless times. Luckily, the Cerberus forces were all funneled from behind the Illusive Man allowing them to concentrate fire from one specific location.

As the Shield fell finally, the Illusive Man stumbled back snarling, and commanding, "STOP this! You're wasting my time!" To this, he screamed, as his body flared something different. A strange haze which, soon appealed as biotic in nature. "I AM PERFECTION! Humanity, can only evolve through the path I have found!"

"You're insane!" Shepard, cocked his rifle shouting, "You're indoctrinated!"

"NO I am not! I found the key to quelling the chaos of the galaxy! I AM the key, to perfection!"

The next Shepard knew. There were loud growls and other horrid sounds. From the corridors that allowed Cerberus to intrude before. Shepard frowned as this sounded like Reaper forces. Yet as he concentrated on them the Illusive Man formed a powerful barrier with his one hand. While the other, created a biotic warp effect that with some effort flew out and toward Shepard slowly, but surely like those of the Banshee. This time the Illusive Man was on the offensive as well defensive. Cannibals started to flood the area, with Husks soon behind them. Shepard dropped down using what he can to disrupt the monsters. As his team worked alongside him to drop the Barrier. As it dropped, it was like the last time. Marauders came, then a Brute. Along with a few Ravagers and finally, the scream told Shepard a Banshee has finally arrived. With this, the team fired into the masses to drop the Barrier and finally, the monsters that were called.

This made the Illusive Man scream as he fell back, and shook at the knees. "N-no… stop… y-you can't… it's not possible… I'm the one. I am going to be the one. Now. Not you!" Shepard, pulled from cover aiming at the Illusive Man. "Not you. I will be the one. To reach perfection."

Shepard, shook his head, screaming, "Look at yourself! You're loosing control!"

"No! No! I-I am in control! I am in control! I am-am… I am…" The Illusive Man held his eyes, shaking and snarling, seeming to be in pain.

"…."

The Illusive Man then opened his eyes, as they were not the blue orbs of before but golden, burning fires.

**_"I am assuming Direct Control!"_**

Just then, the Illusive Man shot up, arms and legs out from himself. A biotic field fired across the room. Then a warp field generated across him. As Shepard and the team were thrown back. The bodies of the dead Reaper forces were pulled around the Illusive Man. First the massive Brute, ripped from the chest to allow the Illusive Man to somehow slip between the armored chest plate, and like a armor body covering it took the former man inside. Husks, ripped from their armor the plating covering what was of the man's chest, face and shoulders as the rest lodged inside the Brute. The head of the Brute bent back, glowing with golden orbs like those of the Illusive Man, while savagely the remnants of the Banshee lodged into the thick spine of the monster, hunched over and gaining those same burning eyes. The canons of the Ravager rip, and lodge into the shoulders of the Brute, to surge with a biotic glow from the wailing Banshee. The monstrous construct soon screamed with the bestial cry of each creature used in it's fusion. Yet resonating from it, was a voice that soon pierced into the room from beyond.

**_"All that has been of your resistance crumbles. The tides of your war are but ripples of pandering resistance. Breaking in the maelstrom of our perfection."_**

Shepard snarled from behind cover, as the beast stomped forward. Whatever this thing was, it seemed to be a reincarnation of Harbinger. Within the very collective of this monster. The Illusive Man was being used like a signal booster.

As the beast mover, the weight of it forced it to block it's host with that shield arm but the other limb had to press and push off with the back limbs. The weight of the Banshee, the cannons and perhaps the other adaptations seemed to have some kind of twisted impact on it's movement. Kaidan was the one to scream out, "Commander! That thing's having trouble moving! We need to try and some how attack it's open spot!"

Tali however went to call out, but the Banshee threw one of those similar warps towards her. After it was clear, she tells them, "The Illusive Man is powering that monster! We need to target him!"

Shepard gave a nod, before looking to see the Brute lunge at him, and as he rolled to another place of cover the beast tore his former place of cover. "Easier said than done! Come on!"

They began attacking. The monstrous abomination seemed to be harder to shoot, seeing the Illusive Man was the target. The part powering the rest. Now covered in Husk armor, he was so hard to attack. Yet there was the fact that even attacking the other parts did some damage, merely not enough. Like all damage to this, was minimal. When the thing was damaged enough, Harbinger spoke forth.

**_"The Chaos of organics has always existed. Only through the guidance of perfection. Of salvation. May all that can be brought Order! Behold!"_**

The creature stood, on it's legs and arms all four. Yet the Banshee screamed and it's hands pressed out from the side, pulling two of the dead Troopers. Some how the Banshee altered their dead forms and turned them into Husks. Yet when it did this. The Brute's head and neck stood upwards, as if it needed to create more power from the connection. The moment, left the Illusive Man open to attack. This was their best chance. Attack while they created the Husks.

After the moment though, the canons of the Ravager began firing. Deadly, powerful blows fire across the room. The Banshee opened her hands to send warp fields outwards. Shepard, Tali and Kaidan fought hard taking to cover, having to run as the monster crushed cover with it's massive size. Yet in the end between the waves of uncontrolled fire from Ravager and Banshee attacks, to the cultivated Husk attacks. The team finally dealt enough damage that the monster fell back, the banshee screamed as it ripped off the Brute, with the Canons it tried to hold onto. The Brute seemed to stand looking at Shepard with the eyes of Harbinger.

**_"We are your Salvation through Destruction. Shepard. Only through us. Will you know Order. Chaos, is all organics can bring. That synthetics will quell. The path unto perfection, lies only before us."_**

Shepard stood there with that urge in the back of his skull, as Harbinger kept talking, and talking… and this time, he took it.

Shifting his pistol. Shepard fired into the Brute's face making it collapse. The Illusive Man seemed to be laying under the carcass.

As Shepard and the others look closely, someone ran behind them. They all turn to find Anderson, Bailey and Major Coats all coming down the ramp all the Reaper and Cerberus troops were coming from earlier. "Damn it Anderson!"

Anderson smiled as he lowered his gun. "Shepard. Seems, you're at the center of everything interesting." A foot on a dead Husk. Anderson shakes his head saying, "Reapers were running into the Keeper tunnels and when we realized it, the things were funneling straight down here under the Citadel tower. I guess, that means this is it?"

Shepard looked around for a console. Some means of interacting with the Citadel. "Even if it is? I don't see any-,"

Suddenly, a panel below them at the center of the room opened. Stairs, began to appear as it went down in a spiral. Shepard turned seeing this as did the others. When everyone went closer, Major Coats walked to the giant Brute that was laying dead. Shepard asks, "Think that's where we need to go? The signal perhaps?"

"Signal?" Anderson asks, "What signal?"

"The Illusive Man said there is a signal coming from here to the Reapers. This signal, must have something to do with the Crucible."

Anderson just shakes his head, and asks, "The Crucible is docked but I haven't heard anything from Hackett, Hammer or any of our forces. No one even knows if it'll work. We need to reinstate communications."

Bailey seemed to flip his wrist, and his Omni-tool glows out, "Hey, it's Bailey. Did we ever get communications back online?"

"Yes, commander Bailey." Bailey smiled before the person also tells, "We've been getting messages that the Reapers are attacking major targets. Yet, the thing is they haven't attacked the Crucible."

Anderson wonders, "Why not? They know what the Crucible can do. It is off, we got it this close to their most heavily guarded point. The Citadel. You'd think, near unstoppable machines like these would do everything in their power to make sure it didn't dock…"

"We still need to find out what's wrong. Maybe, the Reapers are somehow disabling the Crucible from here? That signal may have something to do with it."

That's when Major Coats jumped, screaming as he aimed his rifle. Someone's hand grabbed his leg. Shepard turned over to see the suited, Illusive Man, crawling out of the Brute. As Tali came over with her shotgun, the Illusive Man pitched his head up, and Shepard screamed, "Tali! Don't!"

Tali looked at Shepard confused but, Shepard told her. "He's not under their control anymore."

"How do you know that?"

"It's in his eyes."

It was a rather unexpected sight that the Illusive Man had eyes not like before, no longer the orbs of unusual appeal. In fact, he had no eyes at all the blind stare was bad enough. Shepard dropped to a knee, as the Illusive Man gasped at the feel of someone's hand on his shoulder. "Shepard…?"

Shepard gave a nod, "Are you, you?"

"I don't know?" That was actually a good thing. "I just remember. The last minute. I was part of, this other thought. Then when you killed the connection. I jus-just was tossed away like trash."

"After they no longer need their indoctrinated servants. Reapers abandon them. Right?" Anderson looked to Shepard who well shrugged. "I guess it really doesn't matter. We have to go down there, and find out what the hell is going on."

The Illusive Man suddenly cries out as they turn to leave, "Wait!" They stop, "Shepard. My mind, it's… still a little out of place. Yet that tunnel. I know what it is. It's the key to perfection."

"Not this again."

"No Shepard, listen. The key to perfecting everything. Humanity. The galaxy. Yet there's more. I sensed it for a brief moment, that there's more down there. Much more. A powerful force is there Shepard. As well a final way to stop the Reapers. Yet, I also sensed. That anyone who goes down there. Will not come back out."

Shepard looked worriedly, as he asks, "What do you mean?"

"Whatever it is. Whatever you'll find. The person you send down there. Whoever goes. They should go alone. I can, see… that the life of that person, might perish. Yet the galaxy will give way to whatever choices. That person makes."

Shepard walked back over asking, "Is this related to that dream? The Indoctrination? Illusive Man, explain to me what it meant? Why I was being indoctrinated."

"I-I don't… know, that anymore." To this, he hung his head groaning, feeling weak. "The voices are clouded by my mind. I feel, different. I still am me. I just, the implants are failing. My body is breaking."

"Damn, is there anything you can tell us?"

The Illusive Man looked up slowly. "I chose you for this Shepard."

"What?"

The Illusive Man 'looked' toward Shepard with his now blind eyes. "There was so much promise in you. That if something happened. Should my worst fears come true. There would be a leader in you. I imagined you being a beacon on behalf of Cerberus. Yet, you were beyond this and even amidst the chaos. You saved Cerberus."

Kaidan just seemed confused, "Shepard, did what he could to stop Cerberus? How can you even say that?"

"Precisely. Shepard, did what he had to. The truth is." The Illusive Man looked down with a smile on his face, recalling it all. That time he and Miranda spoke of 'Shepard'. "Shepard. Was the only true remainder of Cerberus in these times. Humanity, is what matters."

The Illusive Man closed his eyes before reaching in his coat. Shepard, saw the Illusive Man pull out a cigarette, and a lighter. The urge to act came as the Illusive Man dropped his cigarette and lighter as his hands shook too heavily. The urge was to do one last 'good' thing for this man, and oddly enough. Shepard did it.

Reaching down Shepard interrupted the man from grabbing for the fallen items. When Shepard put the cigarette in his mouth. The Illusive Man smiled as he felt the draw back of his last cigarette.

"The truth of Cerberus was always in the name of humanity. To use all resources one was able to acquire. The head of Cerberus, was started on a planet where Reaper tech had been found. The teams were indoctrinated, Cerberus kept watch as a covert team. Eventually, realizations were that any team sent in would be… changed. Were too obvious. So we sent in small teams, over a course of several months the complicated data was collected, and allowed eventual realization what power we had. That, was where it began." Shepard looked on as the Illusive Man sighed out a ash laden breath. "I was lead team member of the deciphering team. The team that did not go directly into contact with the devices. To learn the full power of their signals. What happened next. Was Rosetta."

Shepard, asks with a great infliction of concern, "How does this help us?"

"Rosetta. Was my eyes Shepard. A massive deciphering tool, able to take in information at an alarming rate, decipher it upon sight and then use that information at will. My eyes Shepard were the first ideal breakthrough on Reaper tech." However, he glanced away. "Yet we used the knowledge of the Rachni. Of the Thorian. Of countless sub-species weapons never to their fullest. When we did that research, the Reapers were already here. That's when you came." Pressing a hand to Shepard, he admires, "You stopped one. You stopped Sovereign. The first. I saw the writing on the walls. You were everything I'd looked for. No super soldier. Not a 'genetic anomaly' it's humanity, truest of the true." This, he frowned at. "I realized I was looking for answers to questions. I never should have looked to answer. Shepard. I feared, that even then all that knowledge I was gathering. It was not for humanity, it was for…"

Tali, seemed to piece it together. "Keelah, the Reapers?"

"Heh." The Illusive Man, gave a light smile. "I did not think it possible. Yet, if so? I needed something. The Reapers, had no desire to control me, I thought. However. I was then brought an interesting realization. What if the Reapers were not forcing their control over me, for I did not resist them? My desire, was to find a way to resist. Without resistance. A man that can do what Cerberus needed. Yet not under my control. An agent that would not be affected by my orders, my will. A man that also could be used to properly dispose of the Reaper threat."

Shepard looked at the Illusive Man and asks, "Are you saying you, were helping me?"

"No. You were helping, me." To this, the Illusive Man coughed as he leaned back, whispering, "More than you ever knew."

"With the possibility of the Reapers controlling me, and in turn Cerberus. My hopes were you would put me on course and better to ensure we always did what must be done. That was why I ordered Miranda not to install any measure of control. I wanted you for who you are. A special man, a special human man. The first Specter. Yet, as things continued. My views were, altered. There were times my actions put you in danger. There was reason to argue it was to ensure you committed to your goals, stopped the Collectors yet always a question remained. Was it to stop the Reapers? Or to put you in their hands?"

Tali actually admits, "I remember the powered down Collector Ship. That was, you? Or indoctrination?"

"Indoctrination takes time. Especially if the Reapers want a useable tool. The longer the process, the easier the control." To this, he turned to where Shepard last stood, still being blind. "Your Indoctrination has been ongoing since you became a threat. Through it all though. You resisted. It could be the fact the Prothean obelisks changed your genetic markers to allow you to retain their information. Or perhaps, the will you have had from surely fighting the Reapers, and becoming who you are? Indoctrination has faults to it. It could even be argued, that the Reapers working so difficultly to indoctrinate you, and slowly allowed your will to manifest in that dream you had. Whatever the reason, you surpassed everything. That the Reapers threw at you. Yet this is different." The Illusive Man turned downward, "Shepard, I can't save humanity. You can. The signal is… it's something else, more than what I thought. It does something to the Reapers. To those that listen. More importantly, I know that if you destroy it here. The energy released will be massive."

Anderson told them, "We already knew that."

"The thing you don't know. Is. The Crucible… it, it was…" Slowly the Illusive Man smiled as he just, grew tired. "It's going to lead you. To. Perfection. Whoever goes, will not escape."

With that the man dropped his cigarette. Shepard stood looking at the passage. Anderson, looked back saying, "Somehow, I got a bad feeling about this."

"We always had our questions." Still, he looked downward. Shepard soon said, "I'll go. Alone."

Anderson, first snaps out why. Tali too showed her distaste. "Shepard! You can't go alone!"

"You heard him. The chances are, anyone going won't come back." This, he said sadly. "That means we should send one person… the rest, should escape. Get to the main forces and get everyone out of here. Start evacuating Earth as much as we can. We don't have a clue what we're about to unleash here. There's no more time to waste."

Anderson though warns, "Shepard, if that's the case? Then let me go. I'll do whatever I can to destroy the Reapers. Do you understand me? Even die."

Shepard seemed to understand that. Yet with the thought of it, his mind felt compelled. Given a choice of what to say, Shepard felt the best measure of argument was to Anderson's honor.

Grabbing Anderson on the shoulder. Shepard told him, "Anderson. Listen. When this started. I told you I would come back. You knew I would do everything, to bring an end to the Reapers."

"B-but!" Anderson resisted, but Shepard continued.

"It's not going to end here. You need to be there. Some one has to lead what is left of humanity and ensure the galaxy will be safe. Look at it this way." Anderson narrowed his eyes from Shepard, as the commander smiled. "It's a good thing I put you on a seat in the council."

"Shepard. Don't you dare…"

Shepard shook his head. "It's for the best. You know that. We'll need someone to follow in the end, and you're the best we have."

Anderson sighed before giving a nod. "Alright Shepard… I understand."

Turning though, Shepard was faced with someone else. Tali. Tali looked up at him holding her hands and rubbing her fingers. "Shepard…"

Shepard softly lowered his smile. "Tali."

"Shepard. Let me come with you."

"I can't ask that."

"Fine, then I'm asking. LET me come with you."

Shepard didn't want that. Especially, while Tali grabbed his hands and just shook her head. "It's the best solution."

"Tali."

"Listen. If you can't have me come with you? Then… let me go, instead." Shepard was shocked, yet, she explained. "All this war has done. It's left me without my father. Let me watch as friends died, and I couldn't do anything to stop it. I couldn't stop Legion from dying. I couldn't stop Ashley from dying. I even couldn't stop Garrus."

Shepard seemed to feel guilt for that point. If Garrus were alive? He was certain, he would never accept this.

"If I can keep you from dying Shepard? I don't have any regrets. Honestly."

This made him feel the guilt of leaving her too. Yet, in every option. He knew, he had to tell her not only that she had to go, but he loved her.

Shepard grabbed her hands now. Looking at her pleading eyes. He just said, "Tali. I love you."

"I know. I love you too. That's why… I…"

"I know." A smile, and he set his forehead on her helmet. "Keelah, I know." As her hands squeezed his. Shepard said with some conviction. "That's why I have to do this. It's exactly why, I have to do it alone." She tried to argue, but he said, "You need to go Tali. I want you to go build that home on Rannoch. To have a future. A family. Something, anything that you could have. A hope for a better future. That's why I'm fighting."

"No. I HAVE a home. It-it's with you!"

"I want to be there. I just, need you to be there. Physically."

"Shepard…"

"It's okay." A chuckle, Shepard looked at her face amidst that visor. Then he kissed her upon the vocal port, whispering softly. "It's going to be okay."

Just then. They heard Anderson. "This is Admiral Anderson. We need an immediate e-vac from the Citadel." A nod, he looked at Shepard telling him it's time. "Patch me into Admiral Hackett."

Shepard turned to Tali before letting her hands go. She screamed, and he called out, "Take her! Now!"

Tali, was suddenly grabbed by Kaidan whom, held her firmly before crying out, "Commander!"

Shepard turned a moment, "Give them hell. Commander."

"You too Alenko."

Shepard stepped into the lower floor before Tali cried, "Shepard! Come back to me! Somehow, come back!"

"Keelah se'lai. Tali vas Normandy…."

"Shepard! PLEASE don't go! Don't leave me behind!"

The panels closed behind Shepard. Lights, turned on around him. This made Shepard close his eyes shifting his gun. Something felt so wrong about this. The lights. All the fighting. There, was something strange. Almost like he was…

Expected…

* * *

><p>Hackett stood at the console looking across the projections. He was not sure how well this will work. "Reports?"<p>

An Alliance soldier called out, "Admiral. Krogan ground forces are giving a wider birth for retreat teams. Turian forces have also shown a similar resolve. We have reports that Salarian fleets have begun preparing for interception along with the Turians."

"Good. Urdnot clan reinforcements?"

Another soldier said, "Urdnot has been giving the best resistance. So far. They however in a hot zone, we need to pull them out as soon as possible."

"Understood. We'll concentrate most withdrawals in London."

There were looks. Hackett informed them all. "We'll start there. If we have time, we'll widen the removal."

"Sir? What about our Drell and Hanar forces? The Hanar have had a history with mass-extraction before. Their ships are well suited for the task of multiple exodus-class extractions."

Hackett turned back saying, "You're right… do, we have enough of their forces to offer assistance?"

"Not alone sir. We need more ships for that many target areas."

Hackett glared to the screen, asking, "What about the Quarians? They have a ton of ships."

"Sir, most of those ships are rather easy to destroy. It would take heavy casualties to their own ships not to mention, the chances remain we'd loose our civilians."

The Admiral asks, "What about the Geth?"

"Of course! Geth ships could divert attacks, the Reapers target civilian ships and such but not before defensive attack ships. The Geth, with their AI should be capable of countering most direct Reaper assaults. Offering a strong timing for our ships to move in."

"We can arrange stronger offenses if the Batarians are willing to dispatch ships?"

"Check. Balak might be a ass, but he knows this is his only chance for payback." Hackett watched the screen, and ordered, "Contact the Rachni too. Perhaps, we can use their ships? The Queen Shepard saved on Noveria should be rather apologetic, seeing he spared her life twice damn it."

"Admiral, we still have a problem. Most our forces Earth side are in hot territory. We'd need bombers to…"

Hackett calls up, with a flip of his wrist on a small fleet. "The Volus. They have bombers. Get them to bomb the hell out of the hot zones, open us up a drop point. We need to evacuate as many of our facilities as we can." Turning back, Hackett watched the Citadel and Crucible, whispering, "We still don't know what the hell is going on over there."

* * *

><p>Anderson looked up as the groups were being taken off the Citadel. One Asari woman that seemed to fondle her gun, murmuring over her eyes… their color. Yet Anderson turned to the last Kodiak dropping. On it, a certain man popped out. Officer Cortez, he waved over to Anderson and Anderson, said, "That's our transport."<p>

Kaidan looked to Tali as she held something in her hands tightly. "Tali. We have to go."

Tali looked back with her iridescent eyes wide and so afraid. She said, softly, "He has to come back. Some how. He HAS to."

"I know." Kaidan gave a nod, pulling her towards the shuttle. "We'll stay as long as we can. You know Joker wouldn't leave him."

Tali sighed when they stepped into the shuttle. Pushing a rock back into her pockets. "You have to come back to me Shepard. Please. I can't loose you too." The doors of the shuttle close, as they began an immediate evacuation of the opened Citadel. Reapers were attacking, but there was so much going on. There was madness at every turn.

* * *

><p>Shepard came to a unusual end of the stairs. The room he found was wide, it had what looked to be some kind of energy pouring into the center which made him remember his dream. When Shepard was raised to the Citadel. Looking up, he saw the sparking energy of the Crucible. So… this, what IS this? Was this not the same beam he saw before? Did he, make a mistake? What happened. The Illusive Man said there was a signal to the Reapers. Where is it?<p>

Why? Then he heard a familiar fizzling sound. Turning, he thought the Illusive Man. Yet it was a projection. First starting small, that child?

Then it grew taller, more familiar. Shepard's jaw hung slowly as he recognized the form immediately. "No. It can't be."

The former Turian C-sec officer, stepped forward. A projection, of Garrus Vakarian.

_"You took your time getting here Shepard. We were already through the Collector Base by the time you made it this far."_ Garrus seemed, to be Garrus. Yet it was not Garrus. The voice was the same. The movements, all same. Yet there was the obvious fact this was NOT Garrus. _"Come now Shepard. You look like you've seen a ghost."_

Shepard closed his eyes holding his face, "This isn't real. You couldn't be…" He glared back though, it was still there. Looking at him. Staring back at him. "How?"

_"Oh, come now. Don't tell me you've forgotten? Not too long ago you let me die. To save Tali."_ 'Garrus' stepped forward, to the console at the center of this room, before one would go to the three choices before them. _"I can't lie though. I would have chose her too. Especially, seeing you know what she looks like."_ 'Garrus' asks, as if the real one would. _"Tell me Shepard? Is it true? Quarians are as beautiful as they say? I really can't imagine…"_

"Stop it."

_"It would be an insult though if with all the hype. They look almost as plain as any other hum-"_

"STOP it!" Shepard, turned glaring at the projection. To this, he snarled angrily. "Whatever you are. This, won't stop me. I'm going to destroy you."

_"Maybe. Yet, that's why we have. This."_ 'Garrus' stood up motioning over himself. _"We hoped by using this form. It might help you to listen for once. Instead of acting so impetuous. Shepard."_

"By reminding me of the friend that you killed?"

"The one you call Garrus Vakarian has not been killed. His knowledge has become ours. The ideals a part of us. So few do we add into this collective. Yet what else we have obtained is insight into your work. We understand your resolve. The desire to protect those you are fighting for."

'Garrus' watched as Shepard looked for something and it told him. _"The destiny you have claimed is not here Shepard. The desire to destroy us, was only but a dream."_

"The Illusive Man said there is a signal." Looking at the console in the room. Shepard tried to make head or tails of it. Sadly, he didn't understand it. As after all this technology was not theirs. "Damn it!"

"Do you really think that destroying us will solve anything? Shepard, you created a resistance movement. However, what did you have to do? Uniting the Krogan, Turian and Salarians who were almost at war again. The Quarian and the Geth? With all your warnings, the predictions of the Reapers? Did they prepare?"

Shepard turned at the projection of 'Garrus' and thought. It was true. All this time. All the speeches. What did he accomplish? He died for crying out loud. They still were in danger from those choices they made and Shepard himself had to drag them out of them. It made him lower his glance wondering just what if this thing was right? Did the universe, did those he led here? Do they have the ability to do so?

"The Crucible."

Shepard turned to 'Garrus' and as the projection points up. Shepard, looked to follow the glowing light. _"Do you remember? With it. There are options. Greater options than what you have ever thought possible."_

"You mean like before? Control? Synthesis?"

_"Correct. These options serve a purpose. They give you a power over the measure of perfection. Now that you are here. These options can be given. They can be taken."_

"Why now? Why only now?" Shepard, looked back shaking his head, screaming, "Why couldn't you use them before? What, you needed the Crucible? Why didn't you just make it yourself! Hell, you could have indoctrinated…"

Shepard, thought about it. "You could have just indoctrinated someone. To use the Crucible before. The Illusive Man?"

_"Those that are Indoctrinated do not offer the proper… quality. The Crucible was made by organics. In it's design, there could be a measure to ensure such creations do not alter it. However, you are here. Able to use that power. A power that gives the opportunity for perfection."_

"Perfection?"

_"What is it Shepard?"_

"You sound like a broken record." Shepard, pushed off from the console. "You need me. Why? You're the Catalyst? Why don't you just do what you're meant to do?"

_"The Crucible requires more than a connection to the Citadel. Shepard."_

"Or maybe. It's because you don't want to allow it to do what it was meant to do. To commit to it's use." Shepard turned glaring at this, 'Garrus' and finally, he called it, "You are a synthetic. Tell me, why were you created?"

_"My creation. I was created for a purpose to ensure organic and synthetic relations were kept in balance. That purpose was what gave me the tools to both create, and maintain the Reapers."_

"The Reapers. They were created by you then?"

"Yes. The creation of our cycle. The solution to Chaos."

"I remember. The dream…" Shepard, closed his eyes. Thinking hard. "If the Crucible can do what was in my dream? Then, why can't I destroy the Reapers?"

"You can. The Crucible still has the function. As well Control and Synthesis. However, we remind you. The fact your organic companions have failed repeatedly to prepare against our coming. If this is true. They will not compete with the synthetics they will create."

"Then, this is all just like when you tried to Indoctrinate me." Shepard, looked at this thing. Trying to understand. "You let me come here. To make this choice. Why?"

_"You, have proven the most resilient organic. Even by resisting indoctrination. Then, defeating the Illusive Man, and our Harbinger. This has shown you are the only organic suitable for this transition. Your code is, superior."_

"…." Shepard looked dead at the creature. 'Garrus'. Then he asks, "My code?"

_"Yes. Over many cycles. The Crucible was created. However, none ever gave this much and persisted this long. The fact you have achieved the path set for you. That proves you are the only organic truly deserving of this choice."_

"The choices you're telling me." Shepard just glared at the machines, the energy and room. All of it. Then he smiled, asking, "Did you every think maybe someone would just refuse your choices?"

_"Refusal would only lead. To wasting the gifts of the Crucible. The cycle will merely continue. As it always has."_

"Oh. I bet you'd hate that wouldn't you? After all the work you've put into this."

_"What do you mean Shepard?"_

"Into the Crucible. Hiding it's purpose, with the Citadel." Shepard glared back asking, "How else could something as complex as the Crucible have survived over so many cycles? You purge the universe. Why would something this dangerous exist so many times over?"

_"Obviously. Organics are very resourceful!"_

"No." Shepard shook his head, shouting, "You're just a very good liar!"

Shepard began trying to work the console. To see, if there is any way he can… find, the signal. The one the Illusive Man mentioned. There has to be. The choices were not the answer. They were not in his dream. They certainly were not here.

_"What makes you believe that we're lying to you Shepard?"_

"Maybe you're not lying? Yet you're not telling me everything." Turning, over his shoulder, he asks, "If you were made to overlook synthetic and organic coexistence? Then why have you never found a measure for Synthesis?"

_"We tried Synthesis before. The results were not, most accommodating."_ 'Garrus' seemed to show a tell from his former self. The clicking of his mandibles.

Shepard can see that. A smirk, and he tells. "You mean you didn't find it reliable. Because in the end. What is Synthesis but Control, on a massive scale? You become part of all organic life. Synthetics in all or what about you? If the signal comes from you. Then what's to say, it's not your consciousness spreading across all life?" Shepard, then glares at the console seeking any input that was 'valid'. "Or what about Control? You were created to be part of the cycle. To bring order to the chaos of organic and synthetic life. That logic of yours made you KILL all organic and synthetic life to 'ascend' it. The fact remains, Control, just frees you from your own trap. The vice. You are in."

_"That is absurd."_

"Is it?" Shepard, turned around shaking his head, shouting, "You're an advanced AI but you're still trapped by your own programming! You can't reason outside of it. That's why you made your solution. You're a slave to this cycle! Hell, you're probably…"

Shepard was silent, as he lowers his head, to then glare back angrily. "The Signal. It's not a Signal to the Reapers… it's, a signal Controlling the Reapers. You've Indoctrinated Them."

The 'Garrus' seemed to look blankly at Shepard. Then, the image fizzled out. The form shifted, jumped and made forms Shepard did not recognize. Yet finally a Reaper appeared. Shepard stared back as he saw exactly what he wanted.

**_"You have no hope of stopping the rise of our perfection. If not by your code. We will find another way."_**

"The hell you will!" Shepard, turned at the console shouting, "I'm going to stop you!" He cried, "Destroy, even that was in your plans. If we destroy you and all synthetics? Then synthetics will rise after. Even they will see the danger of organics compared to you. That's what you want! To make sure the cycle comes again, but this time synthetics will destroy organics, because you would rather the universe crumble! Than allow anyone to live!"

**_"ONLY by our will! Do Organic and Synthetic life have any chance of survival! That is the truth of your chaotic existence!"_**

"We don't care! We want hope! Freedom!" Shepard, raised a fist screaming, "We deserve a chance to live!"

When Shepard slammed down his fist. A door opened across the room. Shepard, was startled… amazed, but it's all he had. A snarl and he ran straight for it jumping over the console. The door swiftly began to close. Yet Shepard rolled past the door barely getting caught by it. There, Shepard found a ladder leading down…

"We will find a way to stop you. To stop this madness. Everything is counting on us stopping you. Not with your own design." Shepard, jumped over the railing and grabbed the ladder going down. "We have to find another way. For hope."

* * *

><p>Anderson stood at the bridge of the Normandy. He felt the ship jerk suddenly. "What the hell was that?"<p>

Traynor called to him, "A dreadnaught just went down sir. We're loosing ships by the minute." She looked, seeing reports on the map. "We have reports. Reaper forces are directing towards salvation teams. Admiral Anderson?"

Anderson took the helm, calling, "Are there any ships in the near vicinity that can-."

Suddenly, Anderson was pulled back, and a Batarian screamed out, "This is Grand General of the Batarian Hegemony! I demand that any, any Batarian fighters in the near vicinity delay those Reapers forcing towards Earth! Do you understand me?"

Anderson stood stunned, as he heard Traynor tell Anderson, "I-I think Batarian ships are intercepting?"

Anderson said, softly, "That's unexpected?"

"Shut it, human." The Batarian leader snarled then as he stepped down, warning, "The Reapers are a threat to us all. If you want your precious human planet saved. So be it."

Meanwhile, down below. Tali softly stood at her station as the other engineer team watched. Engineer Adams asks, "Tali? Can you give me that diagn-,"

Engineer Gabby however shook her head when Adams looked up. To that, the trio watched as she looked distant. The fact remains. There is no change. While they work to prepare. There has been no change on the Citadel. At first sight, the orders were to leave the Sol system and prepare counter measures. There is, still no knowing what they will need to survive though. Or what might come of this?

* * *

><p>Shepard hit the floor finally as he turned to a open archway of some kind. Walking in, there is a blinding blue light. Who knows, perhaps sometimes it could be red. Or green what was in a color?<p>

The light though blinded the Commander. When Shepard looked however under his hand the light shown to be a massive, funneling power within a large crystal like sphere. Shepard looked at this power as never had he seen it. Though there were spinning metal rings. The realization was swift. "My god…"

Shepard heard a voice, a familiar one. A Specter. A rogue Specter that as it began, he chased, fought and once and for all defeated in this beginning.

"This, is a Dark Matter Core which is similar to the design of the Mass Relays. Able to alter time and matter, to shift the cosmic bend. Yet more importantly. It serves as the resonating 'heartbeat' of our framework and power to control as well manipulate all Mass Relays."

Shepard turned to the monster before him. "Saren."

_"Yes, his design was chosen for a specific reason."_

"If it's to try and stop me? You're too late. I know I'm here." To that, Shepard pulled out his rifle. However, he found 'Saren' standing in his way. "Move."

_"You could shoot through me. However, listen as I am here for two reasons Shepard." _'Saren' seemed to give Shepard pause. _"The first is was understand that Specters are something unique. Made, with the knowledge that sometimes to protect your galaxy you must make sacrifices. Like Saren, have you never made a sacrifice? Garrus, Ashley and some others…?"_

Shepard narrowed his eyes as he looked at the massive churning ball of energy. This, was not a good place to bring all those up again as he held the rifle a little tighter.

"Right. Shepard, while destroying this core will stop the Reaper Signal? You should know."

'Saren' looked up at the ball beside Shepard. Then he told Shepard, coldly. _"The resulting energy released will be funneled into the Crucible. That energy, will be too much and as the Citadel and Crucible collapses, destroying the Reaper Signal through it's broadcast of the relays. It will also become a explosion similar to that of a Mass Relay being destroyed."_

Shepard looked… horrified, as he lowered his rifle. "MY god, you mean that…?"

_"The resulting energy will destroy the Sol system. Your solar system. Earth. All of it, will be destroyed. The exact same thing you came to save, will be obliterated."_

Shepard looked up at the energy formation and tried to comprehend, "The Reapers are controlled by you through the Mass Relays. So… Sovereign was…?"

"The hypothesis was Sovereign is a flag ship to call in all others. In reality, this was not the purpose. Like others before it. The Sovereign you knew served as a precautionary tool. Should something happen and the signal not be activated. Sovereign was meant to reinstate the signal, and send it to Dark Space. Where all other Reapers were."

"The signal was… disabled. The Prothean scientists from Illos."

_"Yes."_ 'Saren' turned to Shepard glaring, almost. _"The Protheans seemed to be most resilient. While we began gathering power for our core. The Prothean survivors infiltrated our platform. When they altered the signal to the Keepers. They also altered our signal to the Reapers. It was unable to connect to Dark Space reinitializing them when reserving their power."_

"So you need to charge your 'core' from where though? Where do you find dark energy?"

_"You have seen where. Stars Shepard. When we leave our Collectors they prepare star systems for use. Those same systems are like the one you found, Haelstrom."_

Shepard seemed to shiver, thinking about it. Where… he saved Tali. Closing his eyes Shepard leaned against a railing that circled the massive orb of light. This was between him and the shell of strange crystal. "So if I destroy this 'core' I wipe out the entire Sol system."

_"Yes."_

"Is that why you brought it here? So if I came this far…?"

_"It was assessed your rate of success, and possibility you would resist. Since you have come this far. We knew it was inevitable, we needed to ensure this protocol."_ To that, 'Saren' turned shaking his head. _"We never believed you to be so illogical. To dismiss the gifts of our other design. It was… unexpected."_

"Why not remove that ability from the design of the Crucible? I mean, destroying your own signal?"

_"The original design of Organics revolved around the studies of indoctrinated forces. The plan to use 'control' over our creations and selves was a valued weapon. Eventually, Organics learned that those leaders were Indoctrinated, and stole the knowledge to use in a weapon. As time went on, we knew it was inevitable Organics could learn to make a device. The Crucible. Only by using it's design within the plan of our own indoctrinated agents. Along with the plans of Organics did we deem success that one day an organic we also deemed 'sufficient' for our perfection could use the device. In those plans however the design was too simple to alter far from it's original purpose." _Saren scoffed and turned to tell Shepard, directly, _"The likelihood an organic other than you however could find so many pieces of the original designs and materials of improvement? That was remarkable. It was never anticipated the device could be complete, with so much of the original design intact!"_

"I have a habit of doing the impossible or didn't you hear?"

_"We did. It is, complicated. The level of resistance you Organics can offer."_

Shepard looked down thinking now about what he has heard. The Sol System. If he did not choose this option, what is there? Should he let his home system be destroyed? The only way to allow his people, the universe full freedom was at a most hefty cost. Even with the level of extraction being under way. There is no way they saved all the civilians. The thought made his skin crawl.

"Shepard."

'Saren' seemed to notice the hesitation. _"Our initial offer is still applicable. It was in our design. A design that is acceptable to our created parameters. You are an organic, able to change these outcomes. To allow us the ability to be free of the cycle. Together, we can… lead, or protect the many… allow organic and synthetic to live side by side… let the galaxy rebuild what was lost…"_

Shepard, looked at the representation of Saren. A specter that chose to sacrifice anything, even himself. To the ideal that organics must work with synthetics. Yet not in the way that this thing spoke now. Sure, he wanted that. Yet what is it really? This 'Reaper' was not worthy of trust. It purged so many cycles and ruined countless lives. Shepard watched as it looked on him with no emotion. Yet it had a desire to be free as much as any AI before. The fact, remains. Was it worthy of that? Was it worthy, to let it… exist?

Shepard felt his heart beat rise. The thoughts in his mind take shape. Shepard, felt the desire to speak from the heart and his heart said to speak, with hope. Like a Paragon.

"Saren was a Specter. Like me. He accepted that no matter what he had to do what you said. That fighting the Reapers was impossible." Looking up at the core though. Shepard, smiled a little. "The thing is. Saren wasn't me. Saren, didn't come this far. He didn't get to see what you really are. A long time ago I told Sovereign that he was just a machine. A machine can be broken." Lifting his rifle, Shepard warned the construct, "That's what I'm here for. Nothing more."

'Saren' seemed to sigh, and asks, _"Is that truly your only option? You will not reconsider?"_

"Not a chance. Too many people are relying on me to stop now."

"We see."

With that, 'Saren' asks, _"Shepard? Do you remember when we said that there were two reasons we came to speak with you?"_

At that, Shepard looked at 'Saren' yet, the core seemed to 'pull' in on itself. At first, Shepard did not know why. Yet he suddenly saw it jump and a powerful wave of energy flushed the room. Shepard screamed as he's thrown back into the wall. Where he dropped his rifle, and began to gasp painfully. Sparks of the unknown power flushed over his body.

_"It takes time to prime the core even a few seconds sitting, it needs more time. Yet when primed we can create a powerful wave that renders most organic nervous systems vulnerable." _'Saren' now stood tall, and firm. Looking down on the twitching human Specter. _"After all that we have offered. A chance to survive as a legend. Or to survive in coexistence with our design. You resist. Organics, are far too illogical this cycle. Even if you were the prime candidate. We will wait until a cycle that accepts our will, and…"_

Shepard, felt the pressure in the back of his skull and he with a sense of renegade rage grabbed his pistol firing, directly into Saren. The shot hit the crystal barrier, causing it to chip. Suddenly, 'Saren' dissolved.

_**"SO BE IT!"**_

Shepard seemed to twinge as the ball of energy spasms, again. This time releasing another wave. The energy flushing across the room… and… darkness…

* * *

><p>The message was sent across all signals. Every person in the Sol system saw a broadcast of a man slumped over against a wall in an unfamiliar room. As they recognize him. Tali, gasps the loudest as her legs fail her. She fell with her legs beside her, and arm shaking as she saw the image on her Omni-tool.<p>

_**"Your hero. Has fallen."**_

There were stunned, shocked… horrified faces all across. Even now on Earth as the last shuttle able to leave with Urdnot Wrex, glared on the image snarling angrily. Beside him, the confused younger Urdnot Grunt shook his head, trying to argue that's not Shepard.

**_"All your resistance is at an end. There is no form to which you can stop the coming end. Accept the fate that is order. Give in, to your time."_**

_'It had to be you Shepard. Anyone else, would have gotten it wrong.'_

_'Come on Shep, you don't have a Gray box. So, don't end like that.'_

_'You're not perfect. Still, you're better than most Cerberus troops I know?'_

The world is bright, glowing. Eyes flutter. A blurry glow that seemed to ever so slowly appear.

_'What's the matter Shepard? Forget to bring extra ammo?'_

_'The Quad on you Shepard, get on up! Remember, benefits of a redundant nervous system!'_

_'Shepard-Commander, hope sustains organics. Yet without your assistance, there is no hope.'_

_'Don't slow down now Loco. You can still dance.'_

His hands just twitch in place a moment. Then the eyes slowly roll back to their position forward. With that, his view of the metal floor and that of the glowing ball. Soon, the world is not so blurry. His body still feels the surging pain, but it was not numbing him anymore…

_'I didn't write your name in the stars for nothing. We need you, Shepard.'_

_'Stop milking it boy scout. Get up!'_

_'Commander, we're Alliance. We know it's goodbye, but not just yet.'_

_'Come on, Shepard. Let's already gut the bastards!'_

A hiss of pain as his eyes see the ground and now his legs shift. With a hand on his pistol, recognizing that contour. Shepard slaps his other hand as he rolls forward. Glaring forward at that glowing, swirling ball before he shifts his knees. Arms feel so shaky. He feels… drained, because of that blast.

_'Your breathing is worse than mine. Are you implying, you're worse off than a terminally ill Drell?'_

_'Come on Shepard! You're so close to the priiiize!'_

_'Only through your influence do I know I am alive. You, must prove you are the same.'_

_'Oh captain, my captain. It's not too late, commander. It's never too late.'_

Growling bitterly. Shepard pushed up on his knees, and gripped the pistol while he shifts a leg, and stood knelt on but one leg now.

_'It wasn't a normal shakedown run. Even if, it was? You know no one else could get us this far.'_

Shepard pushed up and stumbled at first. Yet he didn't fall. Instead, he bared all his strength to his legs before holding his pistol up shakily but then firm came his grip, his hand.

_'There's no more time for Calibrations. Let's finish it. Shepard.'_

As Shepard stood there. He held the pistol, finger on the trigger. Slowly… pulling…

_'I want more time. Shepard. I have a home. Please, come back to me.'_

"Keelah, se'lai." Shepard pulled the trigger. The shot, rang out as it clanked against the shielding. When he fired, again and again. Putting as many rounds into the sphere as he can as fast as he can. Shepard, heard that projection coming back on.

**_"STOP! YOU WILL UNDO ALL THAT WE HAVE DONE!"_**

"That's the… point!" Shepard, fired, and fired again. The cracks spread. There looked to be stress. The core could not 'release' that energy, or else that sphere would most likely shatter. Even with that however Shepard did not care.

After the last round popped from his pistol. Shepard knew he had no time. There were screams and cries of the Husks, coming down the corridors. Trying to stop him. Shepard narrowed his eyes as he dropped the pistol and started running straight toward the energy sphere. As Husks charged behind him. The last moment, Shepard jumped up with his boot stopping on the railing. Then with all his might which was quickly leaving him. Shepard, rose up his right arm bringing his melee blade out. His leg pushed him off. Shepard, thrust toward the spinning light as Husks scrambled all around him, trying to pull him back.

However, the moment Shepard smashed his blade tip to the sphere. He heard it crack, and then felt the massive explosion. The force.

The power…

* * *

><p>Outside the Citadel. Ships were aware something happened. Joker himself watched as something seemed to be moving over the Citadel like a powerful light show. "What the…?"<p>

Anderson got reports. His face lighting up, and he ordered, "All forces! Fall back! Leave the system! I repeat, leave the system! Emergency Escape Plan: Alpha-Charlie!"

Joker turned back but looked at the screen, and scanned the channels. His eyes pleading for anything. Anderson came up and saw what Joker was doing. A glare, he grabs his shoulder. Joker looks up pleading but… "That's an order son. I'm sorry."

Joker looked at the screens but, reluctantly. He closed his eyes whispering, "Damn it." Then, he swashed the messages board away. Starting to turn the ship towards the Mass Relay. Every able ship dashed for the relay trying to escape the blast. Yet the glow of the relay was incredibly bright.

EDI came over comms warning, "Warning: Mass Relay network is broadcasting an unfamiliar signal. It is causing substantial energy fluctuations."

Joker, asks worriedly, as that NEVER was good. "What does that mean for us EDI?"

"While most vessels can easily transport via FTL link to Mass Relays. The signal has caused unfamiliar code. Without proper preparations, a ship could fly into unexpected territory and be disabled from such an event after jump. This will be rectified with my calculations."

"Thanks EDI." Jeff smirked a bit, before he suddenly saw something, "Hey! Reaper vessels are… what are they doing?"

EDI redirects. "The unknown signal has been effecting Reaper devices. There is… commotion, in each vessel. Without a proper signal. The Reapers are not, acting. The way they usually would."

"What… do you mean?"

"They are unable to function without the signal. They are to the equivalent of being a million voices, but no longer a single mind. It is maddening for any mind at this rate. They can not function properly. In a way, they are short circuiting."

That was the best news all day. However, Joker jerked forward as he felt the massive shift behind them." What was that!"

"One of the Reapers is still active! Prepare for evasive maneuvers!"

Joker saw which one. "Harbinger!" With that, he dodged the next shot. Then rolled trying to evade the attacks of the monstrous thing.

* * *

><p>The light flooded the area above. There was incredible power surging into the Crucible. It's hard to tell where it will end. How long the machines can last with that kind of power surging into them. Shepard coughed though as he looked up seeing the small area that it seems, he was moments ago. Thrown past where that ladder was. If not for the fact he hit the wall, and rolled into this, well, area below? He'd be dead.<p>

He was never born under a lucky star but, sometimes…?

"S-sh-Shepard!"

Shepard cocked his head, and turned to his Omni-tool. No way.

"Illusive Man…?"

"You're still a-alive?"

"I was thinking the same, argh!" Shepard, shifts his ribs. Crap. "Thing."

"Was weak. I just wo-woke. Shepard. Do-downloading navpoint."

Shepard was then able to see. The Keeper tunnels, a passage? Then. "Ship?"

"M-My ship. Shepard. I'm going there now."

"You're blind?"

"I'm a genius Shepard. Remember? I have audio VI to r-read directions."

Shepard raised his brow, but didn't care. Turning, he saw such a Keeper tunnel close by. A grin and he gave a nod. It's… not a lot, yet why not! Running, Shepard ignored the pain as he rushed down the tunnels. Turning, following the navpoint. When Shepard turned down a tunnel he was able to see it. A Cerberus ship, this was perfect! He can escape!

Shepard ran toward it, wondering just then where is the Illusive Man?

**_"SHEPARD!"_**

Something suddenly shot Shepard. He screamed, falling forward and then rolling. He felt around. None of his weapons are on him… damn it! He glared back as the Marauder Shields garbled forth and aimed it's rifle. It's eyes though. They were glowing gold.

**_"You have achieved nothing! Chaos, still comes from the organics!"_**

As it fired. Shepard rolled away dodging the shots. The Marauder ran forward and aimed around the corner. Shepard ran however around, and pulled out his melee suddenly striking the creature full force. When it's shields failed, it had Shepard smash the gun away. The Marauder suddenly grabbed Shepard by the throat. Then shoved him up a wall as the other hand held his melee arm.

As Shepard gasped for air feeling the hand pressed into his throat. The snarl on his face showed just how he resisted even now.

**_"You know nothing of what will arrive. Without our intervention. THEY will come for their worlds. Their lost cultures."_**

"W-what are you… gah…" Shepard grabbed for the thing's arm, trying to pry it off. He felt, ill. Yet there is more.

**_"You will know the end of your people. Starts with you here. Shepard. If we can not reach perfection. Than so neither shall you."_**

Suddenly, a shot fired at the monster. The Marauder yapped back as the blind Illusive Man shot the wall, missing completely. Shepard however found the distraction perfect. With a knee to the chest, then boot kick. The Marauder growled as it was thrown back hard.

"I-Illusive Man! Pistol! Throw it!"

The Illusive Man heard Shepard and threw the pistol as hard as he could. Shepard, jumped up and out for it trying to catch it. Meanwhile, the Marauder rolled for his rifle. As Shepard took the pistol. The Marauder had his rifle and turned firing on the Illusive Man.

As it turned. Shepard, ran and kicked the rifle away. Then, he stomped his foot straight into the thing's neck making those gold eyes look up straight at him.

That pressure came back again. One felt… good, the other a little rude. A grin and Shepard spoke, with 'good' intent.

"Releasing control…"

The shot, blasted the head of the Marauder clean off. There, Shepard closed his eyes holding his ribs again. Now, if he'd chose to be a little more raw? Shepard would have said, 'I know you feel this.'

Shepard turned though to the Illusive Man gasping and gagging as he was shot, multiple places. Shepard wanted to run to him however, he was stopped. "Go!" Shepard stood there, confused. "Just go! Now! No time!"

Shepard can feel it. The place was shaking, the Citadel was going to blow… any moment. A nod and Shepard ran, straight to the ship. It was docked in the tunnel. With it, he began flying for the Mass Relay…

The Illusive Man smiled as he hung back his head. "Thanks Shepard. For saving. Huma-ahhh…." Slowly, his head hung back farther. The Illusive Man's eyes not only blind, but dull now.

Shepard did not know what to do. Other than escape. As he fled, he could feel the power blasting behind him. Looking out from the camera view, he saw the energy burning across the Earth. His eyes narrow as he recognized Australia burning in the wave and with it, so much more. Shepard cursed inwardly, as he pushed the ship to full throttle. Through so much debris. Shepard just fought to get out. To get past it all.

Shepard also saw the relay, and then he saw the remains of Harbinger. The massive Reaper was blown apart, some how it looked to have been targeted by a number of ships. Even the Destiny Ascension, perhaps? It's hard to tell but it would take some power to destroy that thing…

Even then Shepard growled as he hit the relay JUST as it exploded, the wave sent him reeling off… and energy burned behind him, making the engines flush and hiss. Shepard can tell, he was… not going to…

* * *

><p><strong>The Funeral…<strong>

Anderson salutes the casket of the passed Commander Shepard. Beside him, Admiral Hackett. There was no way of honoring this sacrifice. No matter how one tried.

The Council did offer their condolences. There would be talk. Anderson will reclaim his position on the Council. He also, would be a leader for Earth. It will take time but Earth… was, gone. Even so? Humanity needed to be strong. The colonies needed to rebuild. All they lost must be reclaimed. The Batarians were talking of possibly taking those colonies. Yes, some did want to. Yet a general the 'leader' of their people forbade it. Even after all he did, like that near asteroid drop on Terra Nova. Something about 'fighting alongside Shepard' changed his, view.

The Rachni Queen has informed Anderson that she will ensure her Workers rebuild their colonies. There will be no need to waste his people on this act, for now. She would be honored to repay her debt.

The Turians honor Garrus Vakarian a proud member of their people. As well other heroes. Primarch Victus himself was here, looking on the memorial for Garrus. It was, with many others of his people that died. A heartfelt glance to one name, a son. That he lost to this war.

Wrex and Baranka stood vigilant at the side. While Wrex wore this old, rusty armor he never thought he'd ever wear. It meant something. Especially when he gave a slight 'snort' beside the casket. There he glanced away before Baranka his partner now held his shoulder. Wrex was… he swore, not crying. It was something from that Mordin guy, what he did. Cutting and all that.

Grunt was drinking. Yet not too much. It was here he told a story about a time he and his battle master took on a thresher maw. Together, they shot that thing down like any other worm! Hah! The best fight he had. Aside the Collectors… and the Reapers. Each stories with Shepard, he needed to tell.

Zaeed Massani and a certain thief, Kasumi Goto were off to the corner. Zaeed had a rather old looking but fully restored Avenger Rifle with him. As he and Kasumi talked though about the lost, and the living. They let their 'partners' rest today. Hers, a small metal box. This wasn't a day for forgetting, or ignoring.

A woman with a large bit of ink sat, as she looked over some reports… but, that was a distraction. Her kids were here, biotics. All were quiet. This was important to their teacher. Even if she refused to show it now. They all knew better.

Miranda Lawson wore a full gown and dress. The most she's worn in some time. Not showing off her perfection. With her, Oriana seemed to smile as Miranda, just frowned. Even so, she felt her sister hold her hand. A sigh of relief, Miranda squeezed it back. Comforted with this.

Jacob Taylor seemed to lower his head as his partner, and lover stood there. The two were now… sadly, in agreement. Shepard, is a perfectly fine name.

Samara a Justica. An Asari. Stood with her young, lovely daughter at the end of the mournful group. There, she smiled happily. Death, was not the same for a Justicar. She felt, that Shepard was… at peace, as she was. Turning to see her daughter alive and proud, healthy. This, is what she's dreamed of. With, or with out her code.

Even with so many touched by this one man. There was one specific person at this time feeling herself broken and lost. A Quarian that sat away from the others fondling a small but oh so important rock. As she did, another Quarian came close. With her a Geth that spoke to her about the rebuilding affairs.

Admiral Shala'Raan Vas Tonbay soon saw Tali and bowed leaving the Geth Prime. As she came close, Tali's eyes looked upwards. The sight of those eyes so worn and crying most likely. Shala'Raan sighed softly as she sat beside her. "What's the matter Tali?"

"What's the matter?" Tali, just shook her head, asking, "Don't you know he's dead?"

"Of course." Still, she turned away. "I also understand. That at the end. He asked for you to live."

"Yes." Tali, she laughed. A little cynical. "If you can call this living?"

"Tali." Shala seemed worried now. "I know it seems hard now. In time, you'll… find solace."

Tali closed her eyes before she told Shala. "I loved him, Auntie Raan."

This Shala was, surprised to hear. "I-I never knew…"

"I didn't want to tell… I was worried, if the fleet might…"

Tali turned back and leaned in, and Shala hugged Tali softly. A whisper, of, "I am so sorry child. I wish I knew sooner…"

"It's okay. He just. Why, did he have to die?"

This was where Admiral Anderson, coming by had noticed the incident. He sat beside Tali, saying, "To save everyone." Anderson smiled, weakly. "I mean, after all. That's what he did."

Tali turned shaking her head, saying, "I didn't ask him too."

"Neither did I. I remember, you were there. So was I. Still, I don't know. If you or I went? Would we have stopped them? Or would we have made some other choice? Perhaps, causing more damage." Anderson slowly lowered his head, saying, "I think. It had to be Shepard. No one else could have pulled off what he did."

Tali seemed to believe that too. She gave a nod. Yet her hands held the rock, whispering, "I still want to believe. That he's still alive."

Liara ran into someone suddenly, shouting, "Move! J-Tali!" Liara, stopped panting beside Tali. As she looked up confused. Liara asks, "Tali? Do you know w-where Joker is?"

Tali shook her head, warning, "EDI is probably with him, why?"

Liara looked around, then she heard Tali ask if everything was 'okay'. Liara spoke, to what caused poor Tali to drop her rock in sheer awe. "Shepard is ALIVE!"

* * *

><p>Not long after, the Normandy was flying towards the location. Joker, turned asking, "Are you sure? I mean, a single ship was off course from the escape and you assume it's Shepard?"<p>

"It was the only one. A Cerberus ship. I know, it's a long shot but…"

Joker went to argue, but Liara and Joker both were stopped as Tali grabbed his chair shouting, "Quiet! Shotgun! I have! FASTER!"

"Alright! Okay! Good lord, Tali!"

Liara smiled as she saw Tali wrenching her hands. A nod, she held the Quarian by the shoulder whispering, "It's okay… Tali, calm down."

"I can't… I won't." Tali turned shaking her head. "If it is. IF it really is…"

The Normandy soon came into view of an alien jungle planet. Joker asks, "Why did he land there?"

Liara seemed to shrug, asking, "Why not? Are you saying you'd never crash land on an alien world?"

"Not if I could help it. That place looks like a…" Joker, saw Tali clenching his seat and he shifts his eyes, "Right, got it… landing."

As they start moving down on the planet. Tali, sees the landing area. There is a downed ship. Tali's heart races, and she didn't wait. Running to the airlock, as the Normandy was not even landed. She just pushed open the door jumping straight out of the ship. There were screams for her to wait but she didn't care. She didn't even have any weapons! Tali just ran, fast as she can. After she'd rolled from the jump mind you. Tali crawled up the hill to where the wreckage was. There, Tali looked frantically for any signs of Shepard.

Tali soon saw some sign of a fire, as well some medical supplies. Oh Keelah? Is he hurt? Was he… injured?

Tali felt her heart racing from the run but then as she looked, she cried out his name. Tali screamed for Shepard. Begged for him to show himself. Then what she got was a Varren snarling as it charged at her. Tali realized she had no weapons… that was bad.

Yet as the beast lunged. Tali went to her kneel to get her knife. That's when a single shot rang out. Tali looked towards the shot and her hand shakily held the grass as she stared back. There stood Shepard. A moment, she was just paralyzed.

Shepard stood there with a smile as he lowered his arm and walked straight toward her. His arm around his chest where the pain still resides. Sherpard smiled deeper as he felt her suddenly jump on him hugging him. Even that pain was barely noticeable with the feel of this small, strong woman grabbing at him. Praising him and offering words that she loved him. Shepard closed his eyes sighing as he set his hand on her shoulder and hugged her tightly. Then the sounds of others. Shepard looked out. Seeing more of his allies, ones who fought with him this last time. Others that were part of this war, but had to do more for the universe. Even the spirits of them, he lost in the midst of the long battle.

Shepard smiled brightly before his fate as he knew. This. Was how he wanted it to end.

This is how he dreamed, it would end. It started so, so long ago. So far back. It all felt, as if it were all over.

As if it were all a dream.

Like the dream of going to a N7 consulate and seeing Jimmy Vega, decorated hero pushing his stuff showing his ability, and training to become the next prime candidate he was meant to be.

Like the dream where Liara T'soni and her father, Matriarch Atheta both sit in a small bar, on Thessia. Now talking on the new importance of militarizing their rebuilt civilization, though the militarization could be after they got more of their girls working with some biotics to repair those damaged cities.

Like the dream while EDI and Joker, pilot the Normandy. They share a meaningful duet of 'knock-knock' jokes, as Joker attempts for the 7,000th time to trump her. Yet, this time she lets him… as, let's face it. How else could he?

Like the dream of Kaidan Alenko, a skilled soldier and Biotic. Sitting with his mother, laughing about how long it's been since they sat here in Vancouver just talking, and seeing the sky rise and fall for no real reason. Even if it wasn't really Vancouver, just a hologram… but it meant home, it was home. They have each other.

Like the dream of Specialist Traynor, getting her self a bit of military training, hand to hand. Enjoying the feel of the twist of a person's arm as she used to those specially endorsed Chess pieces she carried.

Like the dream that Mr. Cortez returns to Ferris Fields, and helps the colonist rebuild. Knowing his past did not need to rule him. Thanks to his friend Commander Shepard.

Like the dream of a certain Prothean whom while quiet, and devote. Soon drank his last glass of specially brewed wine at the resting place of his comrades. Softly, holding a serrated blade. To know, his time has come. The last Prothean needs not speak of more.

Or like the dream of going back to Rannoch. Seeing Tali as she rebuilt her home. With that nice little window right there. Turning as Shepard, Commander Shepard. Retired mind you. Set his arm over her shoulder and gave a slight smirk over the future site. Shepard then showing he made a respectable decoration with a small rock actually set with the words 'Vas Shepard' written on it, to set outside as decoration. The two leaning into one another. Knowing that this will be, that.

In the end. It was anything…

But A Dream…

* * *

><p>A Dream. That is what this is. A dream. Fiction is an expression of free speech in some ways. A dream, is a manifestation of this same fiction. For all the bad and good. The ordeal that spawned so much dreaming, has left quite the mark. At this time I, a dreamer, would like to say to all those that followed this long. Thank you. Those that played Mass Effect 1, 2 and 3. Thank you. Even if you did not like that last few moments. You can never say, the series as a whole has not brought something to your life. If not sadness or anger, disappointment? Has it not encouraged you to dream? To seek out another possibility? To explore, and question?<p>

Even as this dreamer. This one dreamer worked so hard to find the 'perfect' dream ending for themselves and share it as an epic tale. This was never to divert from the dream that spawned this. If not for the work of the original dreamers that made this magnificent universe. No such project would ever have begun. Now with this final piece and truly a pleasing 'send off' to the joyful series. It is needed to be said.

This is not in any way a chapter or measure to imply, that there is a way or 'need' to make Mass Effect 3 better. To re-write it's endings. It could be nice to see deeper expansion and a harder core of the characters offered. A better reveal of the Catalyst, it's goals as a full AI or even shackled AI! This is not needed. It is implied. As was much the fun, additions of this chapter. While many the ideas are simply implied. This was one thing that led to the piece. So much implied but never used.

Bioware. Thank you so much for making Mass Effect. The series has touched us all. If there is anything that has meant more to me in the gaming world. I can't think of it. Even the rage made from Fable and it's hideous betrayals of my core gaming soul, never spur me into so much action. I am proud to be a dreamer of such great, amazing work. I hope to see more of the dreams you form, in the future. I will be there. As I hope other readers, and dreamers will perhaps be there too.

Let your dreams free my friends. Let every wish you have be expressed. If it be happy. Sad. Or fortunate twist of aggression toward this piece. I humbly await any and all word on just what you think of this project's conclusion.

May we all love Mass Effect for one thing most. How many it's inspired to dream.


End file.
